Shades of Grey
by Minako Angel
Summary: AU. What happens when the Master/Slave relationship is switched? Lord Haruka buys a human slave at an auction. Was it a bad idea? Or the best idea he's ever had? Light HaruKan. Chapter 14 uploaded.
1. Chapter 1

Salut!

Another AU (I seem to write nothing else these days…), this time for Tactics… I wanted to see what happened if I swapped the typical roles…

Disclaimer: I do not own Tactics. I'm presuming everyone here knows it's a series collaborated by Sakura Kinoshita and Kazuko Higashiyama, so please don't sue me! I'm not making any profits here!

Warning: Master/Slave relationships. Don't like, don't read. Thank-you!

Shades of Grey

Chapter One

Haruka sighed impatiently, tapping his foot against his chair as he waited for his servant to appear with the letter he had received that morning. Running a hand through his tousled dark bangs, he began to wonder what was taking the ghoul so long, when Amefuri-kozou finally joined him in the library.

"Master…" The rain God's ex-servant bowed upon his entrance. "I was busy attending to the horses when you rang. I apologise for my tardiness, my Lord."

"I see." The tengu frowned a little, watching his servant quiver nervously in front of him. "You have the letter?"

"Right here, Master." Nervously, Amefuri passed the letter to the demon-eater of legend.

"You may leave." Haruka waved his hand to dismiss the rain youkai. He slit open the white letter, sealed with a red blob of wax, knowing who it was from just by seeing the writing.

_My Dearest Haruka,_

The tengu snorted at this, putting the silver letter opener back onto the oak desk in front of him.

_I will be arriving at your town a week after the date of this letter, and I hope you will offer me a humble greeting to your residence. I have so much to tell you, but I will wait until we meet again._

_My wonderful Muu-Chan is well…_

Haruka stopped there, skipping the parts where his old friend told him how much he adored his youkai wife. There was nothing else of importance to read, but still, his hazel eyes skimmed over the signature, as if to re-assure him that he had indeed been contacted by the white-winged tengu.

_Lord Sugino._

Haruka smiled. He was correct as always. There was a knock at the door, and a young woman entered.

"I have prepared a pot of tea, Master."

"Good, thank-you Youko. When you have finished your chores, please prepare the guest room. Lord Sugino will be paying us a visit in a few days."

"Of-course Master." The fox demon curtsied, secretly watching the tall suit-clad figure sip daintily from his rather dirty bowl. How she wished he would buy a new one, but it wasn't a tengu's nature to replace the bowl they grew up drinking from.

"Youko, I hope you don't plan to sit and stare at me all afternoon. There's work to be done." Haruka frowned, watching his maid flush red with embarrassment. There was a small pop, and Youko's fox ears peeped over her head band.

"I'll…I'll get to it right away then, Lord Haruka!" Willing her ears to disappear, the young fox youkai left the room as quickly as possible, without bringing further attention. Haruka treated her much better than other nobles treated their personal slaves, but she still feared him a little, having tasted the whip he kept for disciplining new slaves.

---

The market place was as busy as ever, full of lively sights and sounds. At the centre of it all, a statue of a local deity watched over the bustling crowds. Traders at the surrounding stalls shouted over each other, trying to catch the attention of passers-by. In the air, a strange smell lingered, a mix between the pleasant aromas of food cooking, with the smell of livestock, which also contributed to the noise level.

Haruka frowned, pushing his way through more people whilst focussing on Sugino in front of him. He wondered how he had let the white-winged tengu drag him here in the first place…

---

"There's another youkai trader in town I'd like you to see." Sugino said after another sip of green tea. "I think even you'll be interested in what he has to offer."

"But I don't need another slave." Haruka sighed, playing with his bowl and ignoring his friend's gaze.

"Compared to most well known Lords Haruka, you have very few. And even though I know you prefer to keep as little as possible, one more wouldn't hurt…right?"

"Muu!" Sugino was quick to grab his wife into another bear hug.

"Muu-Chan! You're so sweet! And don't you agree?"

"Muu?" The green youkai sat down on Sugino's lap, her eyes fixed on Haruka. It was a little unnerving. "Muu! Muu!"

"Awh!" Sugino, lost in his own little world where only he and his wife lived, ignored Haruka's protest.

"At least come with me. I'd like your company after all this time. And I am here to visit you, Haruka-Chan." Sugino smiled, tugging at Haruka's sleeve.

"All right. But I have no obligation to buy."

"Thanks Haruka. I'm sure today will be very interesting." Sugino thanked Youko for the tea and stood up. "Muu-Chan, I must leave you for now, but fear not, I shall return soon, my love."

Haruka ignored the pair, passing his bowl to his faithful maid before leaving the dining hall in silence.

---

"Over here!" Sugino waved. He'd chosen a couple of seats at the front of the auction.

"I'm beginning to regret coming here with you." Haruka whispered through gritted teeth. "It better be worth my time."

"Welcome dear Sirs." The auctioneer announced, quietening the large crowd that had gathered intent of buying a slave. "Tonight, I must apologise, but there are no youkai slaves available for today's auction."

The crowd was quick to voice its disappointment, especially Sugino.

"What?" He fumed in his seat. "Then what is there to offer?"

"But, fine Sirs, I do have a bunch of impressive humans to display, starting with a few beauties all the way from Southern Japan…"

"Sit down." Haruka grabbed the other tengu's arm. "I didn't come all this way for you to just drag me back home again."

"But…but…humans. Haruka, a human slave will be worthless to nobles like us. It's best if we leave."

The demon-eater shot Sugino a look that told him that he wasn't going to budge.

"All right you win. But I'm not bidding today."

---

An hour quickly went by, and the pair watched various slaves who were brought out and sold. It seemed some youkai nobles didn't care if the slave was human or not, as long as they had another worker. Haruka looked at a few more closely than others, wondering perhaps if any of them would make an interesting add-on to his family. Sugino, repulsed by the idea of having a human in his house, simply passed the time thinking about Muu-Chan.

"And finally…" The auctioneer was beaming now, raking in a fortune from the trade. "A marvellous specimen. His origins are unknown, but he's a fine example of youth, and he's here today as a special surprise. Shall I start the bidding at one thousand gold coins?"

This human was different from the rest. He was small in stature, and rather delicate looking, with very pale skin hidden beneath all the grime and dirt. His hair was a mop of silver, framing his rather feminine face. His eyes were blood red, and wide, as he looked fearfully at the crowd staring at him.

A few other Lords were captivated by the youth, and the bidding began hastily.

"I want that one." Haruka suddenly announced.

"What?" Sugino looked at Haruka. "Are you sure? That filthy human?"

"Yes. Bid for me." Haruka urged, wondering why he felt slightly desperate to win the young boy.

"Okay, but I'm sure the bidding will go very high on this one." Sugino frowned. 'Although I don't know why. He's only human after all.'

Sugino was correct, as much as he hated the fact, and the youth had sold for a high price. But Haruka didn't care. He was the successful bidder. There was just something about the silver-haired boy with crimson eyes that Haruka couldn't explain. But he was the one.

---

Chained to the wall, the small human stared at his hands. He felt miserable, knowing that his life was only going to get worse now he was to have a Master. The Slave Master was bad enough, but the youth wondered how bad the torture would be at his new home.

His life was in someone else's hands now, and it was the lack of control he had over himself that scared the boy.

The door opened slowly, but the bright light hurt the boy's eyes. Only recently, when he had been forced onto the stage to be stared at by would-be buyers, had he seen the sun again. His eyes were still adjusting.

"On your feet." The Slave Master commanded. The youth obeyed, not wishing for another session of whipping.

Behind the usual scruffy face of the Master here, two other unfamiliar figures were approaching the cell.

Unlike the drab dark cloaks the boy was used to, the pair was dressed in high quality outfits. An array of colours dazzled the boy for a brief second, before he was pulled out into the light once more.

It wasn't like the colours mattered anyway. All he could really see was shades of grey.

TBC…

---

More soon?

Minako Angel xxx


	2. Chapter 2

Ah! I'm so, so sorry! I didn't mean to leave this story for so long. I really cannot complain about the time it takes for some authors to update when I leave my own fics untouched for so long.

I am still very busy with other sites, and of-course real life, with my grandad being very seriously ill, but hopefully I will update more regularly in the future. I have put my other stories on hold so I can start this one.

Thank-you all so much for reading the first chapter, and special thanks to (deep breath) tohruhonda987, Magnolian Whisper, seyyan, NinetailsKyuu9, MoMo-chan, psychotic KAT, ASOTA, Melissa, demonz8000, MadaMag, Blueyes125, kirinri, Alice elis, Tohruismyoneechan, Azahkiel15, amano, crazy, Hoye, SadomasochisticBloodLust, Shinigamixgirl, Heart of Shou and Goku-chan for reviewing chapter one! I never believed I'd get so many responses! I'm so happy, I expected like two reviews for this…

Anyway, here is the long overdue chapter two. I hope you enjoy it; it's been a while since I've watched Tactics…

Disclaimer: I do not own Tactics. I'm presuming everyone here knows it's a series collaborated by Sakura Kinoshita and Kazuko Higashiyama, so please don't sue me! I'm not making any profits here!

Warning: Master/Slave relationships.

Chapter Two

"Here he is, Sirs, our precious Ruby." The slave master smiled. It was getting darker outside, and now that the auction was over, the other youkai nobles had already departed for home. Those who had purchased a slave were collecting their new possessions, just like Haruka.

The human's chains were removed, and Haruka watched him flex his wrists before turning back to the slave master.

"Thank-you for your patronage. I must leave you now. I do hope I see you again." The man smiled greedily, unable to wait any longer to count the money he had made at the auction.

Sugino pulled Haruka's arm. "I can't believe you bought this…this thing!" The white-winged tengu whispered in disbelief. "Oh Haruka, look at him!"

The human watched the pair in silence. His clothes were mere rags, his footwear, worn away sandals. His skin was dirty, and his hair scraggly. There was no doubt that this boy was a mess. Yet, he was also strangely beautiful.

"Is that your name?" Haruka asked, ignoring his friend. "Ruby?"

"No. That is the name I was given by the slave master. My real name is Ichinomiya."

"That man was human…" Haruka remembered aloud. "So he has no bind over you. Therefore, I shall name you…" He thought for a moment. There was a name at the back of his mind. "Kantarou." The word passed through his lips before he'd even considered it.

In this world, only youkai can acknowledge and name humans. It is a fact that humans cannot do it to each other.

The red-eyed boy smiled. Kantarou. He liked that name; there was something familiar about it, but he didn't know why.

"Kantarou Ichinomiya, I am Lord Haruka, your new master. This is my old friend, Lord Sugino." The other youkai stepped forward.

"Greetings." Kantarou bowed, avoiding the white tengu's gaze. "You…wear white…" He whispered, remembering the colour of Sugino's robes. 'A colour so cold; so mysterious.'

Sugino exchanged glances with Haruka. "Ne, Haruka-Chan, he's a strange one."

"Come on, we'd best get back." The oni-eater sighed, preparing to withdraw his wings.

"No, no, my friend! Let us end this adventure in style. We'll go by horse and cart." Sugino pointed towards a gruff-looking man – another youkai in human form – who was looking for passers-by to ride in his black carriage. Two powerful stallions brayed in front of the method of transportation.

Haruka sighed again. "If we must. Let's go, Kantarou."

The pale-skinned human nodded. A shiver ran through his body. Out of the fading sunlight, it was cold, and the boy's outfit did nothing to keep him warm. Haruka noticed the boy tremble, as more shivers wracked his small body.

"Are you cold?" He asked sympathetically.

"No." Kantarou looked away. Haruka removed his coat and draped it over his slave's shoulders. The boy said nothing, but gratefully put the coat on, thankful for the extra protection from the icy wind.

"Three please." Sugino smiled at the horse and cart owner. "Unless you're making the human walk home." The white tengu's tone was half-serious, half-sarcastic.

"Don't be an idiot." Haruka frowned, helping Kantarou into the carriage. He started to root through one of his deep pockets for his wallet, but felt a hand on his shoulder.

"My treat." Sugino grinned.

"Oh, thank-you." Haruka nodded, getting into the carriage and sitting next to Kantarou.

"I can't wait to see Muu-Chan again!" Sugino clasped his hands together. "It has been too long that I have been separated from my love."

"You saw her this morning." The oni-eater sighed.

"Yes…so many hours ago…"

"Excuse me, who is Muu-Chan?" Kantarou asked quietly.

Sugino glared at him, making the human feel a little uncomfortable. "Muu-Chan is my darling wife. I won't let you near her!"

"Sugino." Haruka warned his friend.

"Humph." The other Lord turned to stare out of the window. "Muu-Chan…"

The driver whipped the horses, forcing them to run faster. The cart soon left the town, and Kantarou could only wonder what direction his life would take now.

'I've found you, oni-eating tengu. After all this time, you came to me. This cannot be coincidence…'

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Lord Haruka's mansion was a lot bigger than Kantarou expected. His blood-red eyes trailed it from top to bottom. Statues decorated the front of the house, with huge pillars holding up the porch at the front entrance. There were at least thirty stairs up to the front door.

Gravel crunched under the horses' hooves and the wheels of the cart, as the journey up Haruka's drive continued.

"We're here." Haruka smiled as the cart drew to a stop. It was the first true smile Kantarou had seen from his new master.

"Thank-you, good evening!" Sugino waved away the youkai driver. Kantarou followed the two noble tengus up the many stairs, his eyes fixing on one statue in particular that he thought was modelled on Lord Haruka himself, possibly made of marble.

Haruka rang the old bell at the top of the stairs. Inside, shuffling was heard, and soon, one huge teak door was opened.

"Lord Haruka, welcome home. And good evening, Lord Sugino." A forest youkai, friend of Amefuri-kozou, the rain youkai, greeted the pair. He suddenly noticed the third figure. "Oh, Master, you brought another guest?"

"He will be living with us from now on. His name is Kantarou." Haruka watched his human purchase bow to his other servant.

"Nice to meet you." Kantarou smiled. The youkai nodded, moving from the door to allow the others inside.

"Likewise." He whispered before removing Lord Sugino's robe. The forest youkai quickly noticed Lord Haruka's coat on the human. Although he said nothing, he smiled at the thought of the legendary demon eater giving his coat away to a human boy.

"Muu-Chan! I'm home!" Sugino called down the hallway.

Almost immediately, a green blob appeared, floating towards the four figures.

"Muu!" The little youkai suddenly noticed the silver-haired stranger.

"Here, Muu-Chan!" Sugino spread open his arms, waiting to glomp his wife. But Muu-Chan had another person in mind.

"Muu!" The green youkai flung herself excitedly at Kantarou. "Muu! Muu!" She settled on his head, nuzzling him gently.

"M…Muu-Chan?" Sugino paled. Recovering quickly, he strode over to Kantarou, taking his wife into his arms. "Don't you dare try to seduce my darling wife, human! Oh Muu-Chan, you're safe now!"

Leaving the white-winged tengu to cuddle his wife, Haruka took Kantarou's arm and began to lead him down the hallway.

"Call Youko. I want her in the first Dressing Room immediately." He called back to his servant.

"Right away, Master."

"That…" Haruka looked into his new slave's eyes. "Was Muu-Chan. As difficult as it is to believe, she really is his wife. It seems she has already taken a liking to you"

"Yes, much to Lord Sugino's displeasure." Kantarou sighed. Haruka let go of his arm.

"I apologise for his behaviour. He…doesn't like humans very much at all."

"So I noticed. And what about you, Lord Haruka?"

"Call me 'Master'" Haruka replied, his tone more serious than before.

"…Alright…Master. Do you hate humans too?" Kantarou began to itch his left arm. For a minute he wondered when he'd last been able to have a bath. He was in desperate need of one.

"I bought you didn't I?" The tengu opened a large oak door. "This is the Dressing Room for the ground floor." He informed the other.

"You didn't answer my question."

"Master." Haruka reminded the youth.

"Master." Kantarou tried not to sigh again.

"I don't believe it is any business of yours, however, if I hated humans, do you really think I would let you into my home."

"Touché." Kantarou smiled. The smile reached his eyes; crimson orbs, the colour of blood. Haruka felt them on him, drawing him closer. Those red depths were a dangerous weapon. The tengu had to turn away. 'What is it about this boy?' He wondered. 'Surely, I am not afraid of him?'

Kantarou scanned the Dressing Room. It was quite large, and full of oak furniture. A fire was burning at one side of the room. A large bookcase occupied almost a quarter of the space, but it was an ornate dresser, decorated with what could be gold trimmings, that seemed to be the prize possession of the room.

_Knock knock knock_

"You may enter." The tengu called.

"You requested me, Master." A young woman with short, brown hair entered the room. She was dressed in a traditional maid's attire.

"Youko, this is Kantarou. He is a human I bought at the auction in town today. I would like you to show him the ropes; introduce him to chores and the servant's quarters."

The fox youkai nodded, surprised to find her master with another servant. "As you wish Master. But he is filthy! May I run him a bath for this evening?"

"Yes, of-course. But first I would like you to fetch me a tape measure. He cannot remain in this drab outfit. I must know his measurements, then we will visit the tailor tomorrow."

"Yes." Youko bowed. "Good evening Kan-Chan!"

"Thank-you. Good evening, Youko-Chan."

The oak door creaked as it was closed.

"That wasn't very creative of you." Kantarou said when Youko had left the room.

"What?" Haruka frowned.

"I expected something more…extravagant. With all the fancy ornaments and decorations in this house, I'm surprised at what little thought you put into naming her." Kantarou sighed, resting his head in his arms.

"Her? You mean Youko, the maid?" Haruka watched the younger figure, drawn to the boy's shimmering silver hair.

"She is a fox youkai after all." Kantarou mumbled into his arm.

"She…told you her real form?" Haruka couldn't understand it. Youko was an obedient, if not a little rash and extraverted, servant. Only with her master's permission should she have given away her true identity. So why-?

"No. I just know she's a youkai." Kantarou smiled mischievously.

"But you're a human. How would you know something like that?" Haruka strode over to his latest servant's side. "Tell me." He raised his voice.

"Hmm? Why? Are you _really_ that interested to know…?" The silver-haired youth twiddled his fingers innocently, ignoring his master's stare.

"Of-course. This isn't some kind of game."

"Oh, it isn't?" Kantarou smirked. "Master." He put emphasis on the word 'master'. "I thought we were playing a game of sorts."

"You don't know your place here, human." Haruka's eyes darkened, his face mere inches away from Kantarou's. "I think it's time you learnt…" Strong hands clasped pale, thin shoulders. "…that you belong to me." Lips almost brushed an ear, feeling a lock of silver hair as it fell from behind the offending organ. "I own you, boy. And as you master…" Kantarou dared not breathe, but his eyes stared right back at Haruka, giving nothing away. "…you do not speak out of line, or I will punish you. Understand?"

Kantarou nodded, hissing a little as one of Haruka's sharp nails scratched his skin, drawing blood. "Yes Master."

"We will continue this conversation later. For now, I want you to stay with Youko. You must obey her – do everything she asks. I will see you tomorrow morning, Kantarou. Good evening." Haruka turned to leave after Kantarou bowed. A flash of red caught his sharp eyes. For once he was drawn to crimson that didn't stare back. "Here." He searched through his pockets, pulling out a cotton handkerchief with an 'H' stitched in the corner.

"…" Kantarou watched the change in his master's eyes. He took the object, wiping his arm.

"I'm sorry. I didn't intend to hurt you." Haruka gently brushed Kantarou's silver bangs out of his face. "Tell Youko I have retired for the evening, and say that you will keep the tape measure for tonight. We will take your measurements in the morning. Good night Kantarou."

"Alright, Master. Sleep well." Kantarou knew that there was a certain gentleness within his new owner. But he _was_ the demon eater of legend, so it was to be expected that he had a rougher side to him. Not that it mattered.

'I want us to be friends, Haruka.' Kantarou thought as the tengu closed the door behind him. 'But is it forbidden to get too close to your master?'

The maid seemed to be taking her time. Kantarou decided to look out for her. He pulled open the door, which was heavier than he expected, and stared down the hallway. His eyes met with another figure: Lord Sugino. Hearing a door open, the white tengu, who was currently on a frivolous search for his missing wife, turned to look at the distraction.

Kantarou's eyes met with Sugino's, glaring back at the tengu's stare. There was hatred and disgust in the youkai's eyes. The distance between them was so clear to Kantarou. Separated by a line, that divided love and hate, rich and poor, black and white…

_No, it's all shades of grey…_

Blood red eyes narrowed slightly. Nothing was ever that simple. The lines were blurred, could only he see that? This hatred was even deeper that even Sugino knew, and yet he would be able to cross that line if he tried.

Kantarou's face remained passive as the white-winged tengu finally turned away from him, his eyes searching for his dear Muu-Chan instead.

He had already crossed the line, Kantarou mused, looking down at the bloody hankerchief in his hand.

_It's always shades of grey._

TBC…

---

I know reviewer responses are banned, but here is some information concerning my story that may answer your questions.

Kan-Chan will have powers, but I cannot go into too much detail about that right now…

The kanji for Youko's name reads as 'fox' ('ko' ) and 'demon' ('you'kai), which is a pun for what she is. This spelling was used, rather than a more feminine one.

I hope my (slave) Kantarou appears to have a personality! I don't want him to seem too OOC, as I like how he acts in the anime. I only have one manga book of this series, so I cannot base my characterisation of Kantarou and Haruka solely from the manga series.

I expect a lot of disappointed readers after this chapter, as I don't like how I ended it. Future chapters will go back into the past, but I will keep quiet about all that for now. There is so much I want to put into this story. I hope you'll all stick by me!

Before I go, I have a question for all you readers. Do you want this story to have the HarukaKantaraou pairing? Up to this point, I intended to write them as friends. It is up to you guys if I decide to put them together.

All comments are much appreciated! Thanks again!

Minako Angel xxx


	3. Chapter 3

Okay, I'm still here! I'm just taking my time with this story. As I mentioned on my profile, I've been away on holiday, and last month, my beloved grandad passed away, so I've been low on inspiration and motivation. But, finally, here is chapter three…

Special thanks to: Tohruismoneechan, Kumiko Coamenel (merci pour votre reponse en Anglais!), demonz8000 (a huge review that cheered me up), DrakenD4, kingleby, SekeyHotai, NinetailsKyuu9, amano, MadaMag, Goku-chan, unknown (lol), muffin (yeah, I agree with what you said, and thanks for being nice about it), cgflower, seethingkitsune, Viient, Alice elis, Cauryn Tereneky, dessertrose and buchouslvr for reviewing!

Dedicated to: My grandad, who inspired me to write at a young age, and supported me throughout my life.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tactics. I'm presuming everyone here knows it's a series collaborated by Sakura Kinoshita and Kazuko Higashiyama, so please don't sue me! I'm not making any profits here!

Warning: Master/Slave relationships.

Chapter Three

The library was full of old books, most collecting dust from lack of recent use. The white marble floor printed with delicate blue patterns was in need of a good scrub too.

Haruka was an avid reader, but recently hadn't had the time for his passion. The tengu decided he would pick a book to read tonight, for he knew he wouldn't sleep easily after talking to his new slave.

'I must get Youko to dust in here again…'

The giant oak door, which had a large iron bolt on the inside, creaked open. This alerted the demon-eater to another person's presence.

"I thought you had retired for the evening, Haruka?" Sugino entered the room, clutching his precious wife in his arms.

"Muu!"

"I fancied reading a book before bed. Were you following me?" The tengu wiped one finger across the spines of some old novels, and frowned at the dirt on his digit when he lifted his finger away.

"There is something I wanted to discuss with you, my friend." Sugino sighed, releasing Muu-Chan from his grip. She took to the air and started floating around the room, disappearing behind one of the many bookcases.

"What is it?" Haruka asked whilst bending down to pull out a rather interesting-looking book.

"Earlier, I accidentally heard -!"

"You were ear-wigging again?" Haruka cut in, shaking his head with disapproval. However, he allowed the white-winged tengu to continue.

"That filthy little human spoke back to you. Talk about forgetting his position. If that had been any of your other slaves, even Youko, they would've been whipped for such actions!" Sugino threw his arms into the air. "But for one small, pathetic human. Oh Haruka…what happened to the demon-eater I knew?"

"I don't know what happened. Of-course I was angry, but I just didn't feel the need to punish him."

"You are the master, Haruka. Don't let the sneaky little bastard get the better of you." The white-winged tengu sighed again, waiting for his friend to take command of the situation and punish the human runt.

"He is my slave, Sugino, and I shall punish him as and when I see fit. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to go to bed." Haruka suppressed a yawn and turned to leave the library, book in hand.

"Why did it have to be him?" Sugino finally asked, still at little shocked at Haruka's response.

"You've been wanting to ask me that since we started this conversation, haven't you?" Haruka watched his friend with suspicion.

"Aah, no, Haruka, of-course not…"

"Sugino." The black tengu sighed impatiently.

"Oh, alright, yes! I want to know what's so special about the boy?" Pulling hard on his green plaits, the white-winged tengu wailed in frustration. "And we've always been such good friends Haruka-Chan…now we can barely ask the other a question without suspicion and mistrust."

Ignoring Sugino, Haruka took a few more steps towards the exit. "I'm not sure why it had to be him. It just had to be Kantarou."

"Had to be, hmm?"

"Goodnight Sugino, Muu-Chan." The black tengu gently closed the door behind him, leaving behind a rather thoughtful-looking Sugino to ponder his words.

---

Kantarou stopped pacing and took a deep breath before sitting down on a fancy-looking oak chair.

'Idiot, idiot, idiot.' The last time the youth had courageously spoken back to someone of a higher position than him, he had been punished. But what about his rights? His beliefs? The teen could only pray that Lord Haruka would forgive his error and rise above it. At that thought, Kantarou was glad that Lord Sugino wasn't his master.

'I should be wary of him for now. His hatred of humans must stem from somewhere, but I cannot simply ignore him, as he is an old friend of my master…'

The door to the Dressing Room was suddenly flung open.

"I do apologise, Master. The tape measure had been moved and I -!?" Youko abruptly stopped her rant when she realised Haruka was not in the room. Her grip on the tea tray she was carrying loosened.

"He has already gone to bed, Youko-Chan." Kantarou informed the fox youkai. "He wants me to keep the tape measure for tonight, and he will see us again tomorrow morning."

"Oh. Alright, Kan-Chan, before I show you your new living quarters, I must clean you up. But first, would you like a cup of tea?" Youko asked politely. She noticed the posture of her fellow slave companion. His lithe shoulders were relaxed, his delicate hands resting in his lap. She had expected him to be tense; after all, he was in new surroundings, with a powerful new master – the strongest of all the demons – and yet this human didn't seem very afraid. Yet…

'How can he appear at peace?' She wondered.

"Yes please." Kantarou watched the maid fill his cup. "This is a new life for me. I cannot afford to be afraid to face my future." He smiled knowingly at Youko.

'What? Did he read my mind or something?' A small 'pop' indicated the appearance of Youko's fox ears. She willed them away nervously.

"So, erm, now that you've met Lord Haruka…"

"Yes?" Kantarou took the tea-cup into his hands. "Thank-you, Youko-Chan."

"What do you think of him?"

"He's not like how I expected him to be, but…I like him."

"So, you don't fear him?" Youko asked, a little surprised by the boy's answer.

"No…well, he hasn't done anything to _make _me fear him. But I do sense that he can be a little intimidating." Kantarou replied, shifting his gaze from the fox demon to look out of the window. 'At least, for now, there is no rift between us…'

Youko stared silently into her empty tea-cup. The silence dominating the room was only broken up by the occasional sips Kantarou took. Eventually, the maid straightened out her skirt before putting her cup back on the tray and standing up, a smile upon her face once again.

"Right, time to show you the bath!"

---

Haruka propped himself up against his soft, satin pillows, and slowly opened the book, 'An Introduction to the Human Species', written many years ago. Before he could even read the first page, a folded piece of paper fluttered to the floor. It was more yellow than white, but it was a lot newer than the book it was stashed in.

Curious, the tengu put the book back down and picked up the paper, unfolding it with care.

It was a picture, drawn in crayons. It depicted a little boy wearing a green t-shirt and blue shorts, drawn in black crayon. But the striking thing about this picture was the colour of the boy's eyes. A bold, distinctive, familiar colour. Red…

Tbc…

---

Wow, a boring cliffy rather than a monologue of Kantarou angst…

Anyway, here are the votes for the HarukaxKantaou pairing: 12 votes for a couple, 0 votes for anything else! So…I'll see what I come up with. Who knows what will happen…

Right…below are a few more questions that you may be asking after this instalment:

Is Kantarou colour blind?

I've been asked this in many reviews; sorry I forgot to add this question in chapter two. Anyway, the answer is yes (he sees the world in grey most of the time!), but this is quite a big part in my story, so keep reading for more info about that. I cannot go into too much detail before my plot gets going!

Will Sugino always act mean towards Kan-Chan?

Hopefully not, but if you watch the first episode of Tactics where we meet Sugino, he really doesn't like Kantarou at all. Maybe you'll find out his reason in later chapters…?

What about Kantarou's powers?

Well, as I mentioned before, he does have them. If you read this chappy thoroughly, a little more is explained, however, I am not ready to reveal all just yet…

If you have a question for me regarding this fic, please feel free to ask it in a review. I'll try to explain it without giving my story away!

Thanks for reading! All comments are much appreciated!

Minako Angel xxx


	4. Chapter 4

Hello everyone! How's this for a quick update? I decided, after writing this chapter last night, to post the next instalment of Shades of Grey today because I have reached 50 reviews! I'm so happy, thank-you all so much. Also, the amount of hits, faves and alerts for my story keep increasing, so even if you are reading but not reviewing, I still feel supported!

Special thanks to: demonz8000 (I love reading your reviews!), Kumiko Coamenel, Ai-chan13 (you seemed excited by chapter three…hope you continue to enjoy SoG), MadaMag (this chappy will answer your question!), Goku-chan (-hugs back- was this a quick enough update for you?), amano (every time I read your name, I think of GetBackers!), Mizuki hikari, kingleby and NinetailsKyuu9 for reviewing!

Disclaimer: I do not own Tactics. I'm presuming everyone here knows it's a series collaborated by Sakura Kinoshita and Kazuko Higashiyama, so please don't sue me! I'm not making any profits here!

Warning: Master/Slave relationships.

Chapter Four

"Kan-Chan!" Youko shouted, as the human boy slowly followed her up the hall. "Come on, hurry!"

Kantarou was fascinated by the lavish decoration all around him. Huge pictures were hung all down the hallway. At least twenty pairs of eyes watched as the fox youkai sighed in exasperation at the newest slave.

"Sorry, Youko-Chan. It's just...I've never seen anything like this before."

"Well…" Youko's demeanour softened. "Lord Haruka only buys the best!"

"Hmm…" Kantarou seemed a little dejected at her response.

"Kan-Chan?" It didn't go un-noticed by the youkai.

"I feel like a piece of art when you say that...It makes me wonder what _he _saw in me…" Youko gave him a sympathetic look, but remained silent. "What about you, Youko? Did Haruka buy you too?"

"No…he released me and gave me a home. Granted, I'm a slave just like you, but it beats being trapped in a stone statue, right?!" Youko was smiling, but the silver-haired youth couldn't help but think there was more to her story. "Here we are!" The maid announced as they reached a large, white door.

Opening the door by sliding it sideways, Youko led Kantarou into what looked more like a bathhouse than a bathroom.

"It's huge!" Kantarou gasped, looking back and forth from one side of the room to the other.

"Delightfully spacious." Youko grinned. "A certain luxury just for the slaves. It's one of the perks about working for Lord Haruka."

"Wow."

The bathroom was split into sections. In the middle, a large, open bath with a fountain in the centre. At the left-hand side, a smaller bathing pool for females only, and to the far right, another just for males. A sauna and steam room were located right at the back, next to unisex changing rooms.

"Follow me, Kan-Chan." Youko said cheerfully, taking her companion down towards the changing rooms. She ushered him inside a cubicle. "Get undressed. I'll bring you a robe, okay?"

"O…okay."

Whilst the fox youkai was off fetching him a robe, Kantarou began pulling off his rags. He frowned at the stains covering his only clothing. 'What a mess.' His pale skin felt just as dirty naked as with the rags on. He shuddered. What _had_ Haruka seen in him?

"Kan-Chan! Here you go!" A thick, white robe landed on the youth's head, as Youko launched it over the door of the changing room.

Kantarou put it on, smiling at how soft it felt against his skin. The material was quite heavy, making the human wonder how Youko had managed to throw it in the first place.

Removing his sandals, Kantarou flinched in surprise as his feet came into contact with the tiled floor. He had never stood on such a surface before. It was so smooth…

Eventually, he opened the door to his cubicle, and was greeted by shining blue eyes.

"All set!" Youko took his arm and led him to the centre of the bathroom. "This is the main bath." She explained. "It's unisex and always a comfortable 20 C."

Dipping a slender foot into the water, Kantarou was surprised to find it was warm.

"Right, tonight I'm going to wash you, but in the future, you're in charge of your own hygiene. This is the shampoo, and here is the shower gel." Youko showed Kantarou two small bottles she had taken from a cabinet across from the pair. "Time to remove the robe."

"But, you just gave it to me!" Kantarou flushed.

"Yes, I thought it was more polite to let you leave the changing room wearing something. You can't wash with the robe on, Kan-Chan."

"I know…but it's a little uncomfortable to be…on display…in front of you."

"Don't be shy. If Lord Haruka orders you to remove your robe, you must do it or face the consequences." Youko ran a hand through her tousled bangs. "Now please take it off so we can get this over with and go to bed. You can put the robe back on when you're all cleaned up. Those rags you wore are going straight in the bin."

Sighing, Kantarou nodded and took off the robe, revealing his soft, pale skin. There were faded bruises and marks all over his back, and his chest was so thin, you could see his ribs. But it was a huge mark that Youko's eyes were drawn to…A scar that ruined the boy's otherwise perfect skin.

"Kan-Chan…" She whispered, gently rubbing the gel onto his back. Kantarou crossed his legs with embarrassment, knew what Youko had seen.

"Ugly, isn't it?" He said with a laugh.

"What happened?" The fox youkai began to use a wash cloth, wiping the dirt away from beautiful skin.

"One day, long ago, I was attacked by a demon…but, that's all I remember."

"It must have been a terrible wound." Youko grimaced as she began to wash Kantarou's front.

"Yeah…It still hurts now from time to time." Kantarou dipped his hands into the water, his blood red eyes fixed on the ripples he created.

Youko started work on the boy's hair, but her mind was on the scar. Just what had happened to Kantarou before Haruka had brought him home? And what demon had forever left its mark on his chest for all to see?

---

Haruka stared in delight at his handiwork. The colours contrasted together, making the sight even more beautiful to behold.

He was out of control.

He was in control.

It was sticky, oozing out of the slit slowly, like a river gently forcing itself through a dam.

Beautiful…

Haruka licked his long nails, savouring the sweet taste of the substance staining his soft skin. His mind ceased to think about what he was doing. He was working on instinct now. The desires inside him ripped through his soul, over-powering reason.

He needed more…his prey, shaken and defenceless, was just too tempting.

Not holding back a minute longer, Haruka charged forward, his powerful wings beating hard, his heart thumping loud in his chest with excitement and lust.

Screams mixed with crazed laughter. The blood splattered onto the ground.

Silence.

Tbc…

---

Confused? It will all make sense eventually! Sorry for another short chapter. I planned to write more (this is the first chappy without Sugino!) But, overall, I felt it was better leaving it like it is. I don't like the first part so much, but I enjoyed writing Haruka's bit!

So…onto more questions…

Will Kantarou, Haruka and Youko ever make it to the Tailors?

Yes! They were supposed to go in chapter three, but I changed the course of my story. You may be pleased to know that my story will move forward with purpose now. Four chapters in, and it's only been one day!

What about Kantarou and Haruka's interaction?

There will be more. I promise. I can't wait to write it myself!

If this isn't modern day Japan, how does the bathroom work?

For all you smart analysts out there, I thought I'd explain this. The main bath is heated by a boiler (yes they do exist in this timeline), the sauna works off coals, and the steam room is the remnants of steam from the boiler. Or something. For the main bath, imagine the old bathhouses in Ancient Rome. It all made sense in my head, but…yeah…moving on!

What about Kantarou's scar?

Well, you finally know that he has one. But, this is also another plot point. Keep your eyes out! I add little things here and there!

Youko is very open to Kantarou, and they hardly know each other! Why?

I think Youko is a very strong female character in the series. I like her being open and friendly, so that's why, in the part of this chapter dedicated to their conversation, she talks a bit about her past. Sorry if she seems OOC though.

And finally, I have a question for you guys. French reviewer, Kumiko Coamenel, wants to translate my fic into French. Is that allowed on this site? I'm honoured to know someone likes my story enough to want to do that, but ffdotnet has some strict rules…Any help or info is appreciated!

(Si vous aimez, Kumiko, vous pouvez écrire une revue en français…)

Thanks again everyone!

Minako Angel xxx


	5. Chapter 5

And I've finally made it to chapter five! This one is going to be a long one…But, it makes up for the fact that I might not be able to update for a while…

Special thanks to: Kumiko Coamenel (I still don't know anything about translation…), demonz8000 (I got a cake!), ShinigamixGirl (I updated, and rather quickly too!), Goku-Chan (want more HaruKan action, hmm…?), Ai-Chan13 (still happy?), kingleby (I really wanted Youko and Kantarou to be friends), ladynarutochan (a new reader, hello!) and amano (I'm afraid I have never watched GetBackers…I've always wanted to, but I'm broke. I only know of Ginji and Ban…would you recommend this series?) For reviewing!

Disclaimer: I do not own Tactics. I'm presuming everyone here knows it's a series collaborated by Sakura Kinoshita and Kazuko Higashiyama, so please don't sue me! I'm not making any profits here!

Warning: Master/Slave relationships.

Chapter Five

Haruka jolted awake, beads of sweat dripping down his forehead. His eyes fixed onto the familiar ceiling above him. Panting, the tengu dragged his body into a sitting position. He brought a trembling hand to his head, pushing dark bangs out of his face. Cold sweat had matted a few strands of hair across his forehead, sticking to him, and leaving Haruka feeling cold and dirty.

Panicking, he brought his left arm down to his left leg. The familiar feel of smooth metal reached his fingertips. Haruka let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. The seal was still there, around his ankle. It was okay.

Still shaken, Haruka shook his head, dispersing the cobwebs left behind from the nightmare away. The remnants of his vicious dream, disjointed images of pale skin and thick, red blood, began to fade as he became more awake and aware of his surroundings. It had been no ordinary nightmare.

The tengu glanced at his bedside clock. The hands pointed to four minutes past five in the morning. The book he had started to read had been left face down on his bed sheets. It was open on Chapter Five: Human Interaction.

The picture he had found last night was back inside the old book.

'Something about that picture might have triggered that dream…' Haruka thought, stretching out his arms. 'A memory evoked by the image of a badly drawn child…What are the chances…?' The tengu, now out of his comfortable bed, opened up his large, oak wardrobe, searching for a clean suit. 'Maybe it's just me. These past few days have been a little stressful. It could be all the changes happening around here…' Tying the red ribbon on his shirt, Haruka managed to convince himself that all of this was a coincidence. 'After all, why would that picture have any relation to _that_ memory…?'

It would be another hour before his servants awoke, and Haruka had no intention of waking any of them just yet. Picking up the book, Haruka began reading where he'd left off.

_Humans are very social creatures. The best way to interact with them is through conversation. Topics of shared interest and an equal speech hierarchy often result in a better social experience._

Frowning, the tengu re-read the paragraph, coming to the conclusion that if he wanted to know more about Kantarou, he should speak to him as an equal.

The book went into more detail about how humans communicated with each other in different ways, and so Haruka spent the rest of the morning with his nose in the book, only brought back into reality when the alarm on his clock went off at 6.00am.

---

Kantarou moaned softly, turning over in his sleep. Youko had taken him to the servants quarters the previous night, but he had been too tired to do anything other than flop onto his bed and go to sleep.

He was comfortable for the first time in years between the soft, cotton sheets.

"Kan-Chan!" A voice called somewhere in the distance. His body was being shaken, causing the human to protest.

"Kan-Chan! Wake up!" The voice was louder now, more determined. Opening one eye a crack, Kantarou saw Youko, dressed and ready for work, staring down at him. "It's time to get up. Hurry or Lord Haruka may punish you for being tardy."

"Oh…what time is it?" The youth asked with a yawn, forcing his eyes open and crawling out of bed.

"Six o'clock! Now here's an old one-piece I found for you. It'll be a little on the large size, but it was the best one I could get."

"Thanks Youko-Chan." Kantarou took the faded garment into his hands.

"I'll be waiting outside your door. Don't be long now, okay?"

"Okay." Once the fox youkai had left the room, Kantarou took off the bath robe he'd worn to bed and began to put on the outfit. Just as Youko had said, it was too big, hanging off his small frame. He rolled up the sleeves and tightened the belt before putting his old sandals back on his feet.

Youko was fixing her hair in the hall mirror when Kantarou opened his door.

"Ready?" She asked, whipping out her comb and pulling it through Kantarou's clean silver bangs.

"Yes." The human grit his teeth as Youko pulled out a nasty lug of hair before returning the comb to her pocket.

"Let's go. Today we go to the Tailor's remember?" Youko smiled, leading Kantarou down through the corridor. "Now, unlike some youkai nobles, Haruka prefers to eat with his servants rather than alone or just with guests. Breakfast is prepared for 6.30, and I will serve it to everyone. Got it?"

"I think so. Oh! I left the tape measure in my room…"

"That's all right; we'll get it after breakfast. Here we are!" Youko stopped in front of two double doors. "Be on your best behaviour, Kan-Chan. Lord Sugino is probably already in there. Muu-Chan always wakes up early."

"I will." Kantarou had almost forgotten about the white-winged tengu. He took a deep breath and put on his best smile as Youko opened one of the doors.

Lord Sugino looked up as the door to the dining room was opened. Youko and Kantarou came in together.

"Good morning Lord Sugino, Lady Muu-Chan." They said in unison. Youko did a curtsy while Kantarou bowed.

"Muu!"

"Morning." Sugino replied, too busy feeding Muu-Chan to worry about Haruka's slaves.

"I will be in the kitchen. Kantarou, please feel free to sit down at the table." Youko said as politely as possible, before scurrying off towards another door that Kantarou guessed led to the kitchen.

The human scanned the table. Where was he supposed to sit? Was there a side for nobles and another for slaves?

Sugino shot him a look as he walked past the tengu. Muu-Chan seemed happy to see him, though, and Kantarou found it a little amusing that Sugino's arms quickly embraced his wife before she could take off to greet him.

Sitting down at the end of the table, Kantarou stared silently into his lap. As minutes passed, more of Haruka's servants joined the table. The human recognised a couple of them from the day before.

"Good morning, Kantarou." A one-eyed goblin smiled sitting next to the human. "I heard a human child had been brought here. I couldn't believe it at first! My name is Hitotsume-kozou, but you may call me Hito."

"Oh. Hello Hito." Kantarou couldn't help but think of a Buddhist monk when he looked at the youkai. He was bald, and as small as a ten-year-old child. They shook hands.

"I hope you are fitting in well." Hito smiled, his large, green eye focused on the youth.

The door to the Dining Hall opened again. This time, Lord Haruka entered the room. The banter between the slaves ceased, and the room became eerily silent.

"Good morning, everyone." Haruka greeted his slaves and friends, sitting down on the large chair at the end of the table.

"Good morning, Lord Haruka." The slaves chorused.

"You're late this morning." Sugino said, idly plaiting his hair.

"Long night…" Haruka shrugged, waiting for Youko to serve breakfast.

"Muu!" Muu-Chan squeaked sympathetically.

"Kantarou, I would like to see you after breakfast." Haruka's eyes located the newest slave, sat far away from him.

"Okay Master." Kantarou blushed at being addressed so forwardly in front of everyone. He missed Sugino's frown, preferring to look down at his lap again.

It was 6.30am. Time for breakfast…

Youko began to bring in bowls and plates, serving Lord Haruka and Lord Sugino first. When Kantarou's plate arrived, the human stared in hunger at the food: Steamed rice, miso soup, and a side dish of grilled fish and salad. It looked delicious, even more so to someone used to living off scraps.

"You may eat." Haruka announced, and the whole table tucked in, the atmosphere friendly and comfortable once more.

---

Haruka's hands ran down the front of Kantarou's torso. The human bit down on his lip, determined to stay quiet, even when large, gentle hands firmly held onto his waist. He only barely suppressed a moan that threatened to pass through his soft lips. Haruka was too busy struggling with the tape measure to notice.

After breakfast was over, and everything had been cleared away, Kantarou and Youko had been brought into the study by Amefuri-kozou.

Haruka awaited the pair. Kantarou was glad that Youko had sent him for the tape measure as she helped in the kitchen. Their Master wanted to take the human's measurements at long last.

"Twenty-eight inches across, Youko." The tengu eventually shouted to his maid. 'He's so small…' The demon-eater thought, holding up one of Kantarou's arms.

"M…Master…?" The crimson-eyed boy stared down at the tengu, as Haruka bent down in front of him, tape measure in hand.

"I need to know your leg length." Haruka smiled slightly, realising how uncomfortable this was for the boy. He pulled the silver bit down Kantarou's left leg, his hand brushing accidentally against the human's pale thigh. Kantarou thanked the Heavens for being allowed to keep his clothes on for such an activity. His face was already beet red, much to Youko's amusement.

Haruka gave Youko the measurements again before repeating the process on Kantarou's right leg.

"All done..." Haruka snapped up the tape measure. "Follow me, Kantarou. Youko, please phone the Tailor and book me an appointment for 10.00am."

"Yes Master."

Once Youko had left, Haruka turned his attention to Kantarou.

"I'm not well acquainted with humans, but nevertheless, I am intrigued by them. I am your Master, Kantarou, but I want you to feel at ease around me. Feel free to ask me anything you are unsure about. I like to get to know all my slaves, after all."

"Well…"

The door to the study burst open.

"Haruka! Have you seen Muu-Chan? I let her out of my sight for mere seconds, and then she was gone!" Sugino, panic-stricken, stood in the doorway, interrupting Kantarou.

"Have you checked the garden? It's such a lovely day today, she might be outside." Haruka, not best pleased with Sugino's appearance, simply ran a hand through his long hair.

'He must be used to this from Lord Sugino.' Kantarou observed, feeling a pang of sympathy for his Master.

"Oh, I'll go straight away. And Haruka-Chan…Muu-Chan and I have decided we want to stay here a little longer…is that okay?"

Sighing, Haruka looked at Sugino's pleading face, and gave up in order to avoid more whining. "Not a problem. I'll inform Youko when she returns, so your room will be cleaned again today."

"Thank-you Haruka! Good day!" Sugino, much more cheerful now, closed the door behind him.

"Just what I need…" The tengu mumbled, turning away from Kantarou.

Youko, knocking delicately on the door, came into the room again. "Master, I'm afraid Kentaro was unavailable today. I booked an appointment for tomorrow morning at 10.00am. Is that all right?"

"Fine, fine. Thank-you Youko." The tengu huffed. Today was not going as planned. "I would like to be alone now. I shall call for you if necessary. Youko, please see to Lord Sugino's guest room. It appears he is prolonging his stay a while longer."

"As you wish, Master." Youko nodded. The pair gave their respects, leaving the tengu in peace.

"Well Kantarou, I'm going to be busy for a while. I'll introduce you to some chores another day. You may as well enjoy your day off." Youko grinned, rubbing Kantarou's hair affectionately. "See you later."

"Bye Youko-Chan." Kantarou waved to his new friend, and took one last look at the door to the study. 'Haruka…'

---

Night time quickly approached Haruka's mansion. Kantarou had spent the day exploring with Hito and Amefuri. He now knew where most of the downstairs rooms were located, and which were out of bounds to him.

Yawning, Kantarou said goodnight to the two youkai and started to head back to his room, when he passed the stairs again. Surely, it wouldn't hurt to take a quick look?

'I wonder how many rooms are upstairs?' Kantarou thought, quietly making his way up to the second floor.

A huge window greeted him on his arrival. A glass door would lead him outside. The sky looked amazing at night, decorated with stars that shone high above the Earth.

Excited, Kantarou forgot his tiredness and opened the door. The cool air hit him as he walked out onto the balcony. It was then he noticed another figure outside with him.

Haruka.

The tengu looked up at his arrival, but said nothing. The human took this as an invitation to join him.

"The moon is full tonight." Kantarou smiled, his ruby red eyes captivated by the beauty of the night sky. The moon stood out in the darkness, a hazy cloud half-covering the silver disk, creating a dramatic picture above the pair. In the human's mind, it showed the will of dying beauty; a lonely heart beating within a body.

"Hmm..." Haruka lay down on his back, looking up at the sky.

"Don't you think the moon is interesting?" Kantarou refused to let his chance of 'equal' conversation with his Master go to waste. "More so than the un-changing sun?"

"The sun brings the sky to life. The moon brings with it a chill. Without the sun, life on Earth would cease to exist regardless of the moon's presence. As _interesting _as it may be, I find the moon is lifeless." Haruka frowned, his eyes wandering from the moonlit stars to Kantarou's pale face.

"But what about autumn, when the moon is clear and bright, watching over the harvests?" The human retorted, challenging Haruka.

"…" The tengu remained silent. He cared little for the change of seasons, and less about how the moon could be labeled.

"…I often watched the moon." Kantarou, quickly realising that Haruka would not continue the playful banter he'd initiated, decided instead to reminisce his past out-loud. "It was always so cold, and dark, but the moon was there every night. It made me feel comforted somehow."

"Sounds lonely." Haruka sighed, sitting up and facing his slave.

"Maybe… But the moon doesn't stay the same. It changes shape, form, and size from our viewpoint…" Kantarou moved closer to Haruka, one hand rubbing at his tired eyes. "Its distant beauty touched me more than the sun's rays…"

"You're cold." Haruka noted, taking Kantarou's hand into his own when he noticed the human shiver. He began to rub Kantarou's pale fingers with his thumbs.

"Master…" Kantarou shifted closer still, seeking the warmth of his companion.

The tengu responded, pulling the shorter into an awkward embrace and wrapping his robes around Kantarou as best he could. For a while both human and tengu were content on saying nothing, enjoying the view from the balcony floor, cuddled together.

"It's getting late." Haruka stated, after minutes of peaceful quiet, signaling the end of their talk. "Enough about the sun and the moon."

"Master…change…isn't always a bad thing…" Kantarou whispered into the night sky.

The tengu's sharp ears easily picked up on the human's words. 'Comparing me to the moon…Was all that nonsense just a way for him to mess with my mind, or something more…?' Confused, Haruka began to push Kantarou gently out of his lap. Before the action was complete, he decided to give his slave the answer he was obviously waiting for. "The sun cannot afford to change."

Kantarou ran his hand through Haruka's dark bangs. "Can't you?"

Silence became between the pair again, until Haruka broke the spell.

"You know the way back to the servant's quarters from here, don't you?" Haruka stood up, moving away from the other.

Kantarou nodded slowly. He hadn't missed the look on Haruka's face at his words. What had made the tengu look so down-hearted?

"Goodnight then, Kantarou."

"Yes. Goodnight, Master."

As they parted, Haruka took one last glance at the moon. A purple cloud now completely covered it, changing it from a silvery colour to a deep red, a shade darker than Kantarou's eyes.

"Interesting…" He half-smiled, closing the door behind him, before retiring to bed.

Tbc…

---

Argh! What the heck am I writing? Anyway…this chappy seems a bit muddled. I may make edits to it later…

But the end is cute, right? Right…?

Only a few questions this installment, because my author's notes are becoming too long.

Who is Kentaro?

The Tailor! I've given him a name, but we've yet to meet him, so Kantarou still hasn't got any new clothes!

What about the sun and moon conversation?

Kantarou, the sly little thing he is, is comparing himself to the moon and Haruka to the sun. Or something like that... Did it make any sense? I've got such a bad headache I can't even focus enough to read it again.

Will the picture come back into the plot?

Wait and see! I'm still not 100 percent sure what I'm doing with SoG right now!

I don't know when this will be updated again, but I'd love to read your comments on this chapter. I worked really hard on it, but still it's lacking something, and feels a bit disjointed.

Thanks for reading everyone!

Minako Angel xxx


	6. Chapter 6

Ah! It has been nearly a month since I last updated! I'm really sorry, but I just haven't had much time recently to think about writing my fanfics.

But, at long last, here is chapter six. This is an interesting installment (or at least I think so!) because it isn't all focused on the present like the other chapters. I hope you enjoy it!

Special thanks to: kingleby, MadaMag (I appreciate your honesty), tohruhonda987 (hello again!), Goku-Chan (who reviewed twice! Thanks for the motivation, I hope you didn't bleed too much!), Ziefelia06, demonz8000 (yummy moon cake, thanks! And another long review, yay!), Broken Vows (here is more, lol), and psychotic KAT (two reviews, thankies!) for reviewing!

Disclaimer: I do not own Tactics. I'm presuming everyone here knows it's a series collaborated by Sakura Kinoshita and Kazuko Higashiyama, so please don't sue me! I'm not making any profits here!

Warning: Master/Slave relationships.

Note: Text between these lines X-O-X-O-X-O-X-O indicates a past flashback/dream. In Kantarou's dream, I refer to him as Kantarou; however, he did not have that name in the past, which is why he is addressed with a different name. I did it this way to avoid confusion, but if this makes it more difficult to understand, please tell me in a review!

Chapter Six

Youko, exhausted from a busy days work, crawled into bed as soon as she undressed. She didn't dislike her job; her position as a maid. She enjoyed her chores; cleaning rooms, keeping track of papers and finances, sometimes cooking and serving food. Youko was not a lazy youkai.

Lord Haruka was a fair master, and she was in debt to him for freeing her. Foxes were often playful, fun-loving animals, with a deep sense of loyalty. Youko was loyal to her master. She knew there was more to the demon-eater than meets the eye.

'Why did you purchase Kantarou, Master?' She wondered. 'He's so nice, for a human. It's almost as if he's a youkai, he fits in so well here. But what made you bring him home…?'

Pulling the covers tighter around her body, she mentally reviewed her tasks for the next day.

'Tomorrow, it'll just be the three of us going to the Tailors. Maybe, I'll begin to see why Haruka thinks Kantarou will be an important addition to our family…'

---

Kantarou went to bed with a content feeling in his chest. Haruka hadn't blown him off, but there was something about the tengu that stopped him from showing his true emotions. It was as if a part of him was being restrained. That needed to change.

Whatever it was, Kantarou decided he would dwell on it later.

'I can't even remember how long ago I started searching for the demon-eater. Now that I've found him, there's no need to rush things. You need to plan tactically in order to succeed…' The silver-haired teen yawned again. He had a busy day ahead of him, with a planned visit to the Tailors at last, and he had to be introduced to his household chores.

He settled back onto the soft bed sheets, his crimson eyes slowly sliding shut…

X-O-X-O-X-O-X-O

Crimson eyes shot open. It took a few seconds for Kantarou to take in his current location. Panting, he realised he was still in the forest. He thought maybe if he tried hard enough, he could wish that he was somewhere else. No such luck. He ran one hand over his injuries. Blood trickled down his side from a nasty gash he'd received from getting stuck in the barbed wire fence. It hurt so much, but Kantarou had nothing to bind the wound with. His tattered rags barely covered his petite form as it was.

There was a rustle in the bushes nearby, and hushed whispers carried in the wind. The nature surrounding the blood-eyed child appeared at peace, but the tension in the forest could be cut with a knife. Kantarou tried to sit perfectly still, his heart beating hard in his chest.

"Find him." A boy's voice ordered somewhere close-by.

"What human has red eyes?" A girl asked, sparking off various opinions from the rest of the gang.

"He ain't human, I told you. He's a demon. A dirty youkai."

"A freak!"

"I hate youkai, taking over, thinking they're better than us humans. What gives them that right?"

"Shh…I can hear something!" The supposed leader silenced the rest with a wave of his hands. He spotted a thin figure crouching in the undergrowth. "There! He's over there!"

Kantarou leaped into the air, panic taking over his weary body. He ran as fast as he could manage, but some of the other children had good aim. He winced a little as another rock scraped his arm. The war cries of the others rang in his ears. He forced his legs to go faster. A burning sensation ripped through his muscles, and exhaustion was kicking-in, but he was almost there. He'd make it. He had to.

A small wooden building came into view, almost blending into a background of trees, bushes and a dirt floor.

"Taro! Taro-san!" Kantarou banged his pale fists against the shack door. "It's me! Please let me in!" His shouts eventually alerted the owner of the wooden house, and the door was opened swiftly. Two strong hands pulled the child inside, and the door was slammed shut again, closing off the outside world.

"Ichi-kun…" A tall man with long, dark hair brought the silver-haired boy into his living room.

"I…" Kantarou grimaced in pain, almost doubling over from the stomach wound.

"Stay still, let me sort you out." The elder man ran to get his first aid kit, coming back with all sorts of products and anti-biotics. "Let me see…"

Kantarou bit his lip as Taro, the man from the forest, began to rub ointments onto his cuts and bruises. "Ouch…!"

"I'm sorry, but we've got to clean you up. There, there, Ichi-kun…" Taro ran a wash cloth over the boy's body, removing all the dirt from his wounds.

Outside, the children froze at the sight of the hut. The tallest child took a step forward.

"Hijiri, no!" A girl shrieked. "_He _lives there, you know! The half-human, half-demon. They say he eats human children!"

"Hmm…so that's where demon boy ran to." The lanky boy frowned. "We'd better go back, it's getting dark. No point staying around here now." Spitting onto the forest floor, the gang's leader took one last look at the shack where he knew the red-eyed boy was hiding with the half-breed. 'Freaks…'

Inside, Kantarou was all bandaged up.

"Would you like something to drink?" Taro asked the young child, who sat shivering in one of the chairs.

"No thank-you."

"Ichi-kun…do you want to talk about it…?"

"No thank-you."

Taro ran a hand through his tousled locks, bending down to the boy's level. "It'll get better, Ichi-kun."

"…" Kantarou fixed his blood red eyes on green orbs. He seemed more than a little unconvinced at the statement, yet he remained silent.

Taro gathered the small bundle of limbs into his arms, murmuring softly against Kantarou's pale skin. His hand ran up and down the boy's spine; his fingers tracing the delicate contours of flesh, nerve and bone.

Kantarou was still too thin, despite his naturally small build. Eating scraps day by day, and sometimes, eating nothing at all, was not enough for anyone, let alone a growing child. It made him wonder more about the human species that he shared his heritage with. The human body could be so easily broken, and yet the human spirit has such strength, that it seems as if it could survive anything.

Kantarou whimpered into Taro's chest, clenching and releasing his fists. The elder softly massaged the boy's spinal cord, pulling him closer in a tight embrace. His green eyes moved from a view of messy silver hair to the bright full moon shining outside the window.

A small sniff escaped Kantarou's nose, his eyes welling up with tears he refused to shed.

"When, Taro-san…?" His voice was so small and pitiful, that the half-human tightened his grip on the boy, rocking him back and forth in a comforting manner. "When will things get better?"

Taro sighed, his dark brown hair flopping in front of his face, obscuring his vision. "Maybe soon, Ichi-kun, maybe in years to come. One day, you'll feel so much lighter in here." He pointed to the boy's chest, where his heart pumped strongly. "Fate works in strange ways. Some people call events coincidences, but I think it is more than that. Your day will come, little one."

Kantarou did not voice a reply, but his bright red eyes looked up out of the window, searching for whatever had caught his guardian's attention. What he saw brought a small smile to his delicate face.

"…_I often watched the moon."_

"_It was always so cold, and dark, but the moon was there every night. It made me feel comforted somehow."_

X-O-X-O-X-O-X-O

Kantarou woke up with a jolt, as if he had risen up from deep water. He took several deep breaths. The dream was fading. He tried to remember, but the action only hurt his head, initiating a dull pain that throbbed at the back of his skull.

The memory was fading, exiting his mind through a door he could not see, he could not close. Kantarou blinked, trying in vain to hold onto something.

"…_I often watched the moon."_

He'd said that last night.

"_It was always so cold, and dark, but the moon was there every night. It made me feel comforted somehow."_

Was that it? Had he been dreaming about his conversation with Haruka?

'That's all I can remember…' Kantarou sighed, his head in his hands. "Well, I might as well get up now."

It wasn't as early as the human teen had first thought. Not more than thirty minutes later, Youko knocked on the door.

"Kan-Chan! It's time to get – Oh! You're already dressed!" The maid skipped happily to Kantarou's side. She noticed the blank expression on her friend's face. "Oy, Kan-Chan, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing. I just had a dream. I think it was a dream of important relevance, but…it slipped through my mind. I can't remember any of it, except…something I told Master last night…"

"You saw Lord Haruka again yesterday?!" Youko was surprised. Servants weren't meant to visit their masters unless called for. It showed a lack of respect. It made the two equals. "Did he call for you?"

"No…I saw him, on the balcony upstairs. The view from there is amazing…"

"Hmm…that's one of his favourite places, you know. I've seen him go there many times." Youko smiled. "He goes there to think, and relax. Most of the servants here avoid going near there when Master is outside. But not you, ay, Kan-Chan."

"I can understand why he likes it so much."

"Sometimes, he uses it like a landing spot. He has wings you know, like Lord Sugino. Lord Haruka is the legendary demon-eating tengu. Even though he's pretty famous, he doesn't brag about it. He stays in human form most of the time, like I do. It's just a natural preference I guess." Youko proudly announced. "Pretty cool though, hmm? I bet you didn't realise how amazing our Master is."

"Hmm." Kantarou decided not to answer that one. 'If only you knew how much I know, Youko. How much I _see._'

"Right, let's go!" The fox youkai, oblivious to Kantarou's reaction, cheerfully pulled him out of his bedroom, and down the hall.

---

At breakfast, Kantarou purposely sat closer to Haruka, hoping he would at least acknowledge his existence. But he received nothing. Not even a quick glance when his master greeted the slaves.

It was almost as if Haruka was ignoring him; giving him the cold shoulder.

Kantarou didn't know what he had done wrong. Could the reason be because of the meeting the previous night?

'But he talked with me. He didn't send me away…until I told him that change wasn't a bad thing.' Kantarou left the breakfast table with an ache in his stomach that couldn't be satisfied with food. 'Did I upset him…or make him mad?'

"Kan-Chan! We have just over an hour before we set off for the Tailors. Lord Haruka wants us outside the front door when we're ready, okay?"

"Yes Youko-Chan. Err, can I ask you something…?" Kantarou fidgeted; shifting from one foot to the other. It was actually rather sweet to watch.

"Of-course, we're friends, remember? You can ask me anything!" She laughed a little. "Within reason!"

"Did something happen to Lord Haruka this morning? He seems…kind of distant today. And he didn't take any notice of me. Could I have been wrong to approach him last night?"

"Oh…well, I know Haruka isn't fond of the tailor, Kentaro. Maybe that's why he wasn't his usual self at breakfast." Youko thought, placing one finger on her chin.

"Why go to this Kentaro then? There must be other Tailors around, and I'm sure money is no object for Lord Haruka…"

"Kentaro is the best for miles around. He works for both human and youkai, although he doesn't seem a very friendly person." Youko glanced at the clock before continuing. "And about last night…I can't say for sure, Kan-Chan, but I think you should leave Master alone for a while, okay? Only go to him when called, and be on your best behaviour. Sometimes, he needs his space, just like everyone else."

"Alright…thanks Youko-Chan…" Kantarou felt a surge of disappointment run through his body. How could he attempt to befriend the tengu if he could rarely see him?

"No problem. Don't let it get you down. Now, are you ready?"

"Nearly… I'd like to clean my teeth. Properly, like you and the others. Hito gave me a toothbrush and a bottle of toothpaste."

"Okay. You know what to do, right?"

"Well…" Kantarou, embarrassed, wasn't knowledgeable in the etiquette of teeth cleaning. He'd never owned a toothbrush before, nor had he used toothpaste. He'd only had what nature provided for cleaning out his mouth. "I could use a few pointers."

With a mock sigh, Youko threw her arm over Kantarou's shoulders. "Come with me…"

---

The grey stallion threw back it's head and brayed loudly at Lord Haruka's arrival. He ran a hand through the beast's tousled mane, and in return it nuzzled his hand with it's nose.

Amefuri-kozou finished up fixing the carriage to the two stallions. Stood to one side, Haruka's other slaves, Kantarou and Youko, greeted their master.

Kantarou tried to catch the tengu's eye, receiving a cold stare from Haruka.

"Thank-you, Amefuri. You may leave now." Haruka addressed the rain youkai.

"Yes Master. Have a safe journey." Bowing, the little servant walked back up the many stairs to Haruka's front door.

"Youko, Kantarou, please get into the carriage. It will not take long to get to the Tailors. Youko, you have the measurements?"

"Yes, right here, Master."

"Good." Haruka smiled at Youko, before getting into the driver's seat and taking the reins. Kantarou followed Youko into the carriage.

'He smiled…he smiled at Youko…' The silver-haired boy felt sad to have received such little attention from the black tengu, after having such a fruitful conversation before.

Youko sensed the human's change in mood, her hand squeezing his paler one. Kantarou looked up at the fox youkai's smiling face, and couldn't help but smile back.

"You okay?" She whispered.

"Yes…thanks…" Kantarou nodded. 'Youko's so kind. And Haruka has known her for much longer than he has me. It's stupid of me to think he might like us equally, when we barely know each other. But, that'll change…it will…'

"Ah! Look at her kimono!" Youko cried out, looking out of the window at a young woman walking down the street. "So fancy, look at how the red contrasts with the blue! Isn't it beautiful, Kantarou?"

"I guess so…" Kantarou shrugged, his eyes on the kimono. 'It's not half as pretty in grey.'

"I'd love to own an outfit like that. Not that I don't like my maid outfits, and my red robes." Youko grinned. "But to have something so special…she's so lucky…"

Haruka tightened his grip on this reins. He was almost at the centre of town. The horses began to canter, their muscles contracting faster, driving the carriage forward at a faster pace.

'Kantarou…' He thought about his human slave, and the disappointment that had been on his face when he had refused to acknowledge him. 'There's something about you I just don't understand…' The wind began playing with Haruka's dark bangs, but the tengu ignored it, focusing on the road in front, his mind fixed on Kantarou. 'How did you end up a lowly slave to a human…and what is it about you that makes you act the way you do? So many questions…I can't bear it…not now…'

The horses drew to a stop as Haruka pulled the reins. The Tailors shop was just ahead. Youko and Kantarou got out of the carriage. The tengu jumped down and tied the horses up to a fence. A trough full of water awaited the beasts, and the pair soon began to take a refreshing drink.

"Here we are. Follow me, Youko, Kantarou." Haruka led his slaves to the door, knocking three times before entering the shop. A wooden sign creaked above the entrance, with the faded name 'Kentaro' printed on it.

A young woman sat at a desk, playing with her long, blonde hair. She didn't seem to be from the town, as she had a foreign look to her. When her eyes caught sight of Lord Haruka, she smiled.

"Good morning. Lord Haruka, I presume?" She greeted the tengu, who simply nodded in response. "I'll fetch Ken-Chan, I won't be long. Please take a seat."

Youko sat down on Haruka's right, Kantarou on his left.

"I'd like the measurements sheet please, Youko." Haruka sighed, purposely not looking to his left.

"Here, Master." Passing the paper to Haruka, Youko watched the door behind the counter open.

"There they are, Kentaro." The woman, who appeared to be the Tailor's secretary, pointed at the three figures.

"Haruka." The Tailor stated, walking towards the tengu and his slaves. "You'd like new robes for Kantarou, correct?"

"Yes. Here are the measurements." Haruka passed the paper onto the tall man.

Kantarou looked up at the Tailor that Haruka supposedly didn't seem to like. The two stared back at each other, the Tailor freezing to the spot. His green eyes checked the figure up and down, as if he couldn't believe his own eyes. Running a hand through his short, dark hair, he let out a small sigh.

"You must be…Kantarou…" He said to the silver-haired human.

"Yes, Sir." Kantarou replied, with Haruka's permission to answer.

"All right…Let me fetch the material I picked out. Please feel free to get a drink. Ask Minami, my assistant, and she'll be happy to help you."

'Odd.' Haruka thought, glancing at Kantarou. 'He's never acted so nicely towards me before. Perhaps knowing that I have human slave shocked him…'

Kantarou was still staring at the door Kentaro had gone through. Had there been a flash of recognition in those green eyes? He couldn't remember seeing this man before. Besides, anyone with a scar over their left eye and such a mixed aura would be hard to forget…

A shiver ran though Kantarou's body. He felt reminded of the many cold nights he spent alone before coming into Haruka's care.

The long, freezing nights, where he had only the moon for company…

"…_I often watched the moon."_

"_It was always so cold, and dark, but the moon was there every night. It made me feel comforted somehow."_

Tbc…

---

Hmm…Yes. So, that is where I've decided to end chapter six. I had a few problems with this one, which is one of the reasons I've taken so long with it. Poor Kantarou…he's not having an easy time this chapter. Haruka is putting some distance between them for the time being. But, at least he's fitting in, right?

The dream sequence was the first part I wrote actually. It's one of the many 'memory flashbacks' I intended to write for SoG. How was it? Interesting? Stupid? After some confusion with the metaphor last chapter, I've tried to make some conversational topics more obvious, but I still want there to be a mysterious edge to this story. And I can't forget the drama!

Sorry for the lack of Sugino (not that he's been a nice character so far!) He hasn't disappeared; he's just taking a break with Muu-Chan! No, seriously, he'll be back. Eventually. When he fits back into the plot.

Right, sorry, no questions this installment. If you have any questions you'd like me to attempt to answer next chappy, please review and tell me what you want to know (although I cannot spoil the plot, ok!?)

Thanks for reading, sorry for the wait!

Hope you'll join me again for chapter seven!

Minako Angel xxx


	7. Chapter 7

After taking a little writing break, I have returned! My apologies everyone…I thought I would have updated SoG a little sooner…

Special thanks to: Broken Vows (such an interesting name), MadaMag (I'll be answering your question later, and don't worry, I've already planned out meetings with other servants), buchouslvr, Goku-chan (three reviews! Thankies! I'm so sorry I didn't update sooner, but thanks for sticking by me), Dark's Mistress (I agree, more HaruKan!), kingleby, anomnyous, dimonyo-anghel (I like your prediction! Are you correct…?), KaL KeY, Silent Sinner Abella, Rangerette, Alice elis, NinetailsKyuu9 and SandmanAndKitsune (I'll be answering your question later, too!) for reviewing!

Dedicated to: harunaxx1, who added Shades of Grey as a fave story, and me as their first fave author, which I thought deserved a mention at long last.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tactics. I'm presuming everyone here knows it's a series collaborated by Sakura Kinoshita and Kazuko Higashiyama, so please don't sue me! I'm not making any profits here!

Warning: Master/Slave relationships.

Chapter Seven

"Muu-Chan! Muu-Chan, where are you going?" Sugino panted, running down another lavishly furnished corridor after his wife, who had taken off as soon as he'd released her from his arms. "Muu-Chan!"

"Muu, Muu!" The green blob ignored her husband, taking a swift left at the next corner. "Muu…?"

Sugino caught up to the little youkai when she stopped abruptly, eyes flicking left and right. She was lost.

"T…there you are, my special little Muu-Chan! But what did you want to come here for? You know that's Haruka's room, right?" The white-winged tengu pointed to the door on the right.

"Muu!" Smiling at her husband, Muu-Chan floated next to the door handle. "Muu! Muu!"

"You want to go in? But, Muu-Chan…" Sugino thought for a moment. Perhaps it would be a good idea to take a peek into Haruka's room whilst he was out. The oni-eater had been acting quite strange lately. 'Although I'm sure it's that human's fault that Haruka is acting differently now…'

"Muu?"

"Okay, Muu-Chan, but we can't hang around too long. That obnoxious Amefuri-kozou will be patrolling the area again shortly."

Sugino pushed the door open. It creaked a little, revealing a large bedroom flooded with natural light from a bay window opposite the bed.

"Muu…"

"Wow…you know, I've never been in here before…" Sugino whispered, feeling the need to speak in a low voice, even though only he and Muu-Chan were in the vicinity. "Haruka has always been a very private youkai…Sometimes, it can be so difficult to get him to open up…"

"Muu! Muu!" Muu-Chan floated over to the bedside table, and landed on the book Haruka had been reading.

"What's this?" Sugino came over to have a closer look. "Hey, that's the book I saw him take out of the library…'An Introduction to the Human Species', hmm?" Sugino frowned, sitting down on the bed. Muu-Chan joined him, snuggling into the soft, satin pillows.

The white-winged tengu opened the book, curious as to what information regarding humans could fill an entire book, when something fell out. Muu-Chan caught the paper before it hit the floor.

"Muu?" She tilted her head to one side.

Sugino took the paper from his wife and began to unfold it. What he saw made him freeze. 'It can't be…it just…'

The paper fell from his grasp, floating back and forth on its journey to the floor.

---

"Can I get you anything, Lord Haruka?" Minami asked, walking over to Haruka and his servants.

"No thank-you, miss." Haruka answered for the three of them.

"Okay. If you need anything, I'll be at my desk, all right?" The assistant chirped, a smile on her face the whole time as she curtsied before heading back to her post.

Kantarou sighed deeply, his blood red eyes staring at the floor, looking for patterns. The dark grey dots and the light grey marks began to blur as he squinted, trying to pass the time.

Haruka stole a glance at his human slave. The boy was silent, focused on the floor. The tengu had a few questions he wanted to ask Kantarou, and decided the _lesson_ would have to be postponed until later.

"Kantarou…do you know that man?" Haruka's tone was neutral, with a professional edge to it, signifying certain seriousness to the question, rather than casual curiosity.

"Hmm…I don't think so, Master." The silver-haired youth replied truthfully, a little shocked that Haruka was addressing him again.

"He seemed to recognize you, though…" The tengu frowned, looking again at the door that led to Kentaro's work space.

"I thought so too, Master. But, honestly, I don't think I've seen him before in my life." Kantarou nodded, as if to re-assure himself rather than his Master.

Youko watched the pair with interest. She paid particular attention to Lord Haruka, and how his facial expressions softened in the boy's presence. It was so easy to talk around Kantarou. She knew this herself. There was just something about the human, a gentle aura that put you at peace.

"…" Haruka stared into captivating blood coloured orbs, but didn't respond to Kantarou.

"I'm sorry…were you hoping for a different answer, Master?" The human felt strangely apologetic. 'Youko told me you didn't like Kentaro…was that true…? If I had known him, would it have changed anything between us?'

"No, no." Haruka let loose a rare smile. "I like your honesty. It was just the way Kentaro looked at you, and how he acted. I thought, perhaps, you two were acquainted with each other."

"Hmm…strange…" Kantarou agreed, his eyes moving back to the floor. 'Kentaro…Kentaro? No, I don't even remember meeting anyone with that name…Maybe he thought I was someone else…? Or…'

Haruka lifted his hand slowly, and awkwardly put it on Kantarou's shoulder. "There's no point in worrying about it right now. You have other things to think about." The tengu was not used to giving such physical contact, but Kantarou's reaction was priceless.

"I…err, yes, Master…?" A blush crept onto the human's pale face. Kantarou wondered if he was blushing, until he caught sight of Youko's grinning face, and cursed himself for having such pale skin.

"Youko." Haruka removed his hand from the boy's shoulder and turned to his other slave. "Have you set Kantarou any chores yet?"

"No, Master." The maid replied, giving Kantarou a quick smile. "I shall assign him to something straight away when we get home."

"Very well. Tonight, I would like you to check Sugino's room. It will need cleaning again I presume." Haruka sighed a little, and resumed his silence. The slaves knew this was their signal to remain silent as well.

Minami, who had been watching the three figures in between filing her nails and checking the calendar, wondered if Kentaro had set sight on the pretty little human before. 'It's been a long time since I saw such a look in your eyes before, Boss…'

---

Measuring the final piece of material, Kentaro tried to focus on the task at hand, but found his mind wandering.

'Is it really you, little one…?' He wondered, scissors in hand as he began to cut through the white cotton.

The sewing machine chugged back to life as he tapped lightly on the pedal, connecting red and white together. The outfit was taking shape. Kentaro was proud of this one, more so than the last few kimonos he had made.

'You don't remember a thing, Ichinomiya. Perhaps…' His green eyes narrowed in concentration as he moved on from the sleeve to the collar. '…it's better this way…'

He straightened out the finished product, cutting off the loose ends of cotton and brushing the outfit delicately.

'…I was never any good at apologizing anyway…'

TBC…

---

Argh, it's too short again! I'm sorry readers, I'm stopping there! But I can promise the next chapters will be more exciting. Chapter seven was more about building up some major plot points, but I do hope it was enjoyable. Muu-Chan and Sugino returned at long last! To be honest, I liked writing their scene.

Okies, question time…

Why was Haruka driving the carriage in chapter six, when he is the nobleman?

Madamag was the sharp reviewer who wanted an answer to this. I'm sorry I didn't explain this very well. Haruka loves his horses, and prefers to be the one in charge of them. He doesn't like the idea of having countless numbers of slaves to do everything for him, and doesn't seem very fond of his position as a nobleman... In future chapters, I will go into more detail about this.

Will the antagonists from the series appear in this story?

Ah! I'm so happy someone asked me this. SandmanAndKitsune, a new reader, was curious as to whether Raikou and the gang will show up. The answer is yes (because it wouldn't be as fun without them!), but the way I will introduce any antagonist into this will be quite interesting to say the least (smiles). I wonder if the rating will creep up to 'M' in certain chapters…?

So, that's another installment complete. Thanks so much for your support guys. Everyone who has reviewed so far has been absolutely wonderful. It means a lot to me that you are enjoying my work.

I hope you'll stick around for chapter eight!

Thanks again, you guys are the best! Remember, all comments are appreciated!

Minako Angel xxx


	8. Chapter 8

Hello everyone!

I've found it difficult to find the time/energy to write recently, so I must first apologize for the huge wait for this upload. Also, it is a rather short chapter again (don't hurt me!)

However, the good news is that there won't be another huge wait for the next chappy, as I plan to get more of Shades of Grey written up in this coming week. I thank each and every one of you for reading my work and supporting/motivating me through hit counts, reviews, faves and PMs. It really does make me work faster!

In this chapter, another OC is introduced, but the main pairing of this story **is** the HaruKan pairing (that you guys voted for!) I don't even know of any other (if any) pairings myself as yet. Just so you know…

Special thanks to: Broken Vows (wow, what a lovely review. Glad to know you're back in the Tactics section, and I helped bring you back!), Rangerette (yes, there will be more HaruKan, eventually), SandmanAndKitsune (yes, it was too short, but glad you want to continue reading SoG), light within the shadows, lola, Dark's Mistress (yes, Kantarou is Santa! Although, Christmas isn't really celebrated in Japan, though they still decorate arcades and stuff), buchouslvr, goku-chan (hugs I love your reviews), spader says hobey-ho (there is more grey!), NinetailsKyuu9, GreyLiliy (yep, those lines are a hint lol), DrakenD4 (awesome! I'm glad your world was rocked!), amano (welcome back!), Lady Serena Sparrow (so, you don't trust Kentaro, hmm…I wonder what your suspicions are…?), Distant-Happiness-, Minty Flake and ochineko (thanks for your PM, it made me happy!)

Dedicated to: Goku-chan, a loyal reviewer, who always writes the nicest things!

Disclaimer: I do not own Tactics. I'm presuming everyone here knows it's a series collaborated by Sakura Kinoshita and Kazuko Higashiyama, so please don't sue me! I'm not making any profits here!

Warning: Master/Slave relationships.

Chapter Eight

"Muu?" The little green youkai floated to the floor to pick up the drawing. Her husband was sat in silence on Haruka's bed, head in his hands.

Muu-Chan landed on his head, and began patting his soft green hair.

"I've seen this picture before, Muu-Chan. A long time ago..." The tengu sighed.

"Muu, muu?" Muu-Chan unfolded the paper again, turning it upside down and back again.

"No, Haruka didn't draw it. It was given to him."

"Muu…" Sugino took the paper from his wife and put it back in the book.

"You think so too, right Muu-Chan? It's a picture…of that human boy, isn't it…?"

"Muu." The small youkai nodded, flying up off the bedside table and landing in her husband's arms without a complaint.

Outside the room, someone was whistling. Light footsteps stopped outside Haruka's bedroom door. Sugino tightened his grip on his wife.

"Shh, Muu-Chan!" He whispered, throwing open the closet door and forcing himself inside. Muu-Chan, who was a much better size for hiding, dove inside the wicker wash basket and buried herself under a bundle of clothes.

A servant of Haruka's entered the room. Sugino peeked thorough the crack in the closet door. It wasn't Amefuri, as the white-winged tengu had suspected, but a tall figure with long, wavy blonde hair, pointed teeth and dark navy wings. He was a sky demon Haruka had found wandering the streets five years previously. He had suffered some sort of memory loss, and so the demon-eater had given him a home and a job. Kaworu usually worked in the kitchen, so Sugino couldn't help but wonder why he was in Lord Haruka's bedroom…

"Ah, Youko-Chan will be pleased. It was here all along." Kaworu picked up the wash basket.

Sugino closed his eyes. 'Please don't check the closet. Ah, if Haruka found out I was in here, he'll tell me to go home…!'

The bedroom door was closed with a soft click. The merry whistling continued outside as Kaworu went back down the hallway.

Sugino let loose a sigh of relief. "That was close…" He stretched his arms before closing the closet door. "You can come out now, my darling, he's gone…"

Silence. Sugino frowned. "Muu-Chan?"

---

"One white kimono with red trims, two grey coats, and one light blue robe." Kentaro counted off the items of clothing with a smile on his face. "Will that be all for today, Lord Haruka?"

"Yes. Thank-you Kentaro." Haruka watched Minami fold up the garments. The white robe was made from the best materials, as requested, but it was also one of a kind.

"Oh no, it was my pleasure. What do you think of them, Kantarou?" The Tailor asked, purposely moving to stand next to Haruka's human slave.

"I…" Kantarou glanced at Haruka for permission, receiving a nod in return, "…really like them. Thank-you."

"The kimono is very special, Kantarou. And the coats are _just _your colour, don't you think?"

"…" Kantarou frowned, looking again at the older man's face. A large calloused hand briefly clasped his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. 'What? Why is he smiling? And the coats…they're grey. Just who is this man…?'

Haruka finished paying for the clothes, and was about to call his slaves outside when Kentaro appeared in front of him.

"That's a good lad you've picked up, Haruka. Take good care of him." And with that, the Tailor disappeared behind his workshop door once more.

"We must be leaving now. Thank-you for your hospitality, Minami."

Minami watched her Boss shut his door, a thoughtful expression on her face, before turning back to the noble tengu. "Thank-you, Lord Haruka. Good day."

---

Youko found both Lord Haruka and Kantarou silent on the journey back home. She knew they were both deep in thought, and it concerned Kentaro and his strange behaviour.

'But Kantarou hasn't seen him before…?' The fox youkai thought. 'So, why did Kentaro show such an interest in him? Perhaps it's his colouring. I haven't seen a human with silver hair and red eyes before myself. But, that can't be the only reason…something's up, I can sense it…'

"Youko, please look after Kantarou today. I have a few jobs I need to complete. I'll be in my study, but I won't have any disturbances, understood?" Haruka broke the youkai maid out of her thoughts.

"Alright Master."

Kantarou felt a twinge of disappointment. Haruka had addressed Youko as if he wasn't even there. It made him feel invisible, and instantly he hated the feeling.

"Master…?" The human's voice was only a whisper, but Haruka heard the mutter.

"What is it, Kantarou?" He asked. His tone was soft, gentle even. His eyes met fiery red ones, and something deep inside the tengu's stomach fluttered.

"What about the clothes, Master? When do I have to put them on?" Kantarou asked, eying the back that Youko was clutching.

"You will be wearing the blue robe for your chores. Youko will explain more on the subject. And please come to my study at six this evening. I have a few things I need to talk to you about."

"Yes, alright. Thank-you."

"Don't forget 'Master', Kantarou." A smile tugged at the tengu's soft lips as he teased his slave.

"Oh, my apologies, Master."

"And Kantarou…" The tengu wasn't finished with his human purchase yet. Kantarou was a witty person at times, and it had been a while since anyone had spoken to Haruka in such a way.

"Yes Master?"

"Don't address me like that again. You speak when spoken to." The silence that followed was a little uncomfortable. Kantarou's smile faded along with his voice. Haruka wondered why Kantarou's expression made him feel _different _inside. The silver-haired human could show his emotions so freely. When he was happy, he looked so alive, and Haruka could feel those bright, red eyes staring into his soul. But his sadness was just as contagious. 'Why do I feel I should care about this boy? What is it about that Kantarou that makes _me _feel?'

"Okay. I'm sorry, Master. Good day." Bowing, Kantarou followed Youko down the corridor.

The maid wrapped an arm around Kantarou and gave him a comforting smile.

Haruka watched the pair; Youko, the loyal fox youkai who had faithfully worked for him for twelve years, and Kantarou, the latest edition to his family, a mere human with the most startling eyes and a calm personality.

And for once, he wondered if it was _he _who was lucky to have the two in his life…

---

"Youko-Chan! Youko-Chan, wait up!" A voice called from behind Youko and Kantarou.

"Hmm? Kaworu?" The maid turned around, amused at the sight of the sky demon running down the hall, his hair a tangled blonde mane.

"Hito informed me that the Master had returned. I was waiting for you." The taller youkai smiled.

"Oh, really…" Youko blushed. "Well…why were you waiting for me?"

"I found the wash basket. It was in Haruka's room like you thought. I did the laundry for you, since I had some spare time." Kaworu noticed the silent figure next to Youko. 'The human slave!'

"Thank-you." Youko's eyes moved to stare at the floor. Her cheeks were a little pink. She sometimes felt so embarrassed around Kaworu, even though there was nothing to feel embarrassed about. How Kantarou would tease her later…"Oh, Kaworu, this is Kantarou. Remember him?"

"Yes, of-course. How rude of me not to introduce myself. Nice to meet you, Kantarou!"

"Nice to meet you too, Kaworu." Kantarou shook the other's hand, and began studying the youkai. He couldn't remember seeing him at breakfast before. There were still a few servants he had yet to meet.

"Well, I'm needed in the kitchen, so I'll see you two later, alright." Kaworu grinned, running his hand through his tousled locks.

"Here." Youko fished an elastic band out of her pocket. "To tie your hair back so it's out of the way…"

"Oh. Thank-you Youko-Chan! I didn't know you cared…" Kaworu scraped his hair into a ponytail.

"Idiot. I don't want any hairs in my food." Youko laughed, patting his arm in a friendly manner.

Kantarou watched the scene before him in silence. He felt out of place, a third wheel. Odd really, since Youko was such a nice, friendly person to be around, and acted the same around everyone. A twinge of jealousy flickered within him, but it was gone the moment Youko turned back to him. Kaworu was already jogging back down the corridor he had come from, waving like an idiot.

"I'm sorry Youko. I…"

"It's okay. You've never met Kaworu before, right? He's such an energetic guy. I'm sure you'll be good friends very soon."

"Do…you like him, Youko-Chan? If you don't mind me asking…" Kantarou was surprised at Youko's response. Her soft laugher held no negative emotions.

"Yes. As a friend, Kantarou. There was a time when I…but, that was a long time ago. Besides, I don't think I'm his taste actually. He's more like my idiotic older brother…"

"He likes you a lot, though. I hope, one day, someone will treasure me the same way…" Kantarou admitted, walking ahead of Youko so she wouldn't see his facial expression.

"Silly." Youko bopped on him on the head. "You have me, Kantarou. You're my indecisive younger brother."

"Indecisive?"

Youko laughed again, a soft, sweet melody that brought a smile to Kantarou's pale face. "Yes, I noticed Kan-Chan! You can't decide about a few things…approaching Lord Haruka being one of them, right?"

Kantarou was the one to laugh this time. "You're good, Youko-Chan. I'm glad to have met someone like you. It really is an honor to have you as a friend…"

"Of-course it is! A fox demon is considered one of the best friends anyone can have!" Youko giggled, stopping outside a door and taking a set of keys out of her pocket.

"So, what are we doing now?" Kantarou asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Today, Kan-Chan, I will welcome you to the wonderful world of household chores!" The maid opened the door to reveal a large store cupboard, full of brushes, brooms and dusting cloths.

Kantarou stared in awe at the amount of products stacked along a high, wooden shelf. "Wow…"

"Let's get started. I have a lot to show you before your meeting with Master." Youko began to select a few items, shoving a broom into Kantarou's hands.

"Okay, I'm ready, Youko-Chan!" Kantarou was beaming like a child, obviously excited about being of use to someone at long last.

Youko nodded, shutting the door and locking it. 'Oh, Kan-Chan... I don't think you have to worry about anything. There's someone here that is already looking out for you, even if he doesn't realise it himself. And I'm sure you have no qualms about being Lord Haruka's treasure…'

TBC…

---

Anyone waiting for Raikou's appearance, it won't be long now… (Smiles) And, more HaruKan is on the way, fans!

I'm going to have to watch Tactics again before I post chapter nine though. You know, I haven't watched it since I began writing this story. It's so weird, but I always do that when I write from a series. That's probably why I often forget a few details!

Thanks for reading everyone! All comments are appreciated.

See you next update (hopefully!)

Minako Angel xxx


	9. Chapter 9

Hello everyone…Am I in trouble…?

Please accept my deepest apologies for the lack of updates…It's been over a month since I posted anything on this site, and even longer since I posted the previous chapter of Shades of Grey. I hadn't forgotten about this story, it was quite the opposite. For weeks, I've worried about my lack of posting. Please forgive this lousy author!

Special thanks to: Broken Vows (a lovely review, and yes, Muu-Chan is fine!), yaoigypsie, SandmanAndKitsune (your question was bothering me too, but his job is now revealed this chapter!), Rangerette, chibiazn3 (the mystery continues, I wish I knew where it's headed!), MintyFlake, GreyLiliy (your prediction was almost spot on. Sorry about Raikou…he wasn't co-operating for this installment), Goku-chan (you're the best, don't die little monkey!), NinetailsKyuu9 (awh, thank-you), Silent Sinner Abella, kingleby, DrakenD4 (I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year!), amano (an OC is a character created by the author, also known as 'original character' or 'own character'), kunitsu (you'll be glad at the lack of Raikou, I suppose…), ShinigamixGirl (I used to update okay…however, I too would like to see more Tactics story updates…), wind-master-redmoon (perhaps you'll like chapter ten better, if you'd like to see Kan-Chan's powers…hmm…), Gold Silk (did you get around to watching Tactics again?), Akira Ijyuin (no, please tell me, what am I doing? I really don't know!), and takara94 for being wonderful reviewers!

Dedicated to: Broken Vows. Your reviews make me smile. I hope you didn't miss too much of that study session…

Disclaimer: I do not own Tactics. I'm presuming everyone here knows it's a series collaborated by Sakura Kinoshita and Kazuko Higashiyama, so please don't sue me! I'm not making any profits here!

Warning: Master/Slave relationships.

Chapter Nine

Haruka tapped three more beads on his abacus to the left, making notes as he counted. Keeping track of the tax increases and past payments of the townsfolk wasn't an easy job. It required patience, an abundance of time and good numerical skills. Haruka, however, had years of experience with money and book-keeping, and was therefore a popular accountant.

Another red book was closed and put onto a pile. The tengu licked the end of his quill before dipping it back into the inkpot. The instrument scratched across another page of figures and dates. Haruka hadn't stopped working since he'd entered his office. It had been a rather busy month, but the tengu had almost abandoned his duties since the arrival of Sugino, Muu-Chan, and of-course, Kantarou.

Haruka smiled. He'd sent Hito to remind Youko and Kantarou that he wanted to see the silver-haired human in his office. In just over half-an-hour, the boy would be there, his inquisitive red eyes glaring at Haruka. The demon eater rubbed his hands together. He felt strangely anxious.

'Kentaro's behaviour is one thing, but I can't stop thinking about that book, either.' Haruka sighed. 'Something about that picture is still bothering me. Why do I even have it? Who drew it? The only explanation I can think of is ridiculous…but…' Shaking his head to remove the dark bangs over his eyes, Haruka began straightening out a pile of white papers, before picking up his quill and resuming his work.

---

Youko stopped scrubbing when she heard a strange noise coming from around the corner. After a slight pause, another identical noise followed it.

Picking up her bucket and dumping the rag into it, she poked her head around the corner.

"Kan-Chan?" The youkai frowned, watching the human tackle the top of the ornament cabinet on a ladder, a yellow feather duster in one hand. He closed his eyes, opened his mouth, and made another noise, his body shaking with the force. He removed his hand from over his mouth and groaned.

"…I'm sorry; Youko-Chan…this dust is making me sneeze…" Kantarou climbed down the ladder. "When do we get a break?"

Youko laughed, patting Kantarou's back affectionately. "You've been asking me that since we started Kan-Chan!"

"I know, I know. This cleaning…it's really boring, isn't it?" Kantarou frowned, leaning against the wall whilst stretching out his tired legs.

"Oh, I don't mind. I enjoy it really. But I've been doing this kind of work for a long time, so I'm not as affected by the hours or the dust anymore."

"But I made you work twice as hard today…I apologize, Youko-Chan. I'm not used to working like this…" Kantarou sighed, sinking closer to the floor.

"No, no." Youko smiled. Kantarou's first attempt at chores hadn't gone so well. He'd managed to knock over a pail of soapy water, all over Haruka's wooden floor and Youko. The fox youkai had immediately started to mop it up, frantically barking orders to Kantarou, who had some how escaped a soaking himself. Then, after the kitchen floor had been brushed and mopped, Youko had taken Kantarou into the grand hall to start work on the oak cabinet. The crystal figure of a crying youkai maiden had almost met certain death when the clumsy human reached over the ornaments to clean up a patch of newly settled dust. He'd been restricted to cleaning the outside of the cabinet, to prevent any more narrow escapes.

It didn't take Kantarou long to realize that cleaning took at lot of time and energy. In all honesty, it bored him silly and he hadn't had one glance of Haruka since they'd started work.

"Is it nearly six yet?" Kantarou asked innocently.

"You plan to escape my clutches and run to Master, don't you Kan-Chan." Youko giggled. "Will I be the 'bad guy' forcing little Kantarou to work, whilst Master plays the 'good guy' who rescues you from any type of manual labour?"

The pair burst out laughing, failing to notice Hito approaching them from the other end of the hall.

"Something like that." Kantarou grinned, wiping his brow.

"Maybe we should consider another possible job for you…we can't risk any damages to Lord Haruka's things…" Youko stated, taking the duster out of Kantarou's hand. "You're such a klutz, Kan-Chan."

"...I…"

"But, I'm still proud, Kan-Chan. I know you tried hard today. Tomorrow, we'll tackle a different household chore, one that might work out better for you…"

"Thanks Youko-Chan." Relieved, Kantarou finally noticed the smaller youkai heading towards them. "Good afternoon, Hito-san."

"Good afternoon Kantarou, Youko." The one-eyed demon smiled. "I'm here to relay a message from Master. Kantarou, he would like to see you in his office on time. He would like you to bring all your new clothes with you."

"Oh. Alright…thanks Hito." Kantarou bowed.

"No need for that." Hito laughed, "Were you busy working?"

"Yes, I was showing our Kan-Chan the ropes. He still has a long way to climb, though." Youko grinned, slinging an arm around the human's shoulders.

"Are humans quick learners, if you pardon me asking, Kantarou…?" Hito asked with curiosity.

"It depends on the type of person and the task at hand. I'm not very good at chores…I've never cleaned on such a grand scale before. And, to be honest, I had…" Trailing off, Kantarou simply sighed. "I used to be good at writing, though…"

"Writing? Like stories, Kan-Chan?" Youko asked. Both youkai were suddenly interested to learn more about their human associate.

"It was…folklore, nothing that special. It's just an interest I've had since I was young…but, it was something I was good at. Humans know very little about the livelihood of demons. They selfishly choose to believe that all youkai are bad, just because as humans, we live under their rule. The divide between humans and demons is deeper than a simple national hatred. It goes back centuries…"

"Wow, Kantarou…" Hito breathed deeply. "You talk about it with such passion…"

"…Hmm…" Youko thought for a moment. "We don't have many good writers here…maybe a secretarial job would be better for you. Although, that's for Lord Haruka to decide. I'm just the Head maid. It doesn't concern me or Hito…"

"A secretary…for Master? Well I never…" Hito gasped. "I wonder what he would say?"

"But Master works so hard! All that number crunching and form filling…it isn't my place to say, but I'm sure he could use a hand…" Youko argued, her hands wringing the dust cloth.

"I should get going, Youko-Chan…" Kantarou realized. It couldn't be far off six o'clock now. "I still need to get my new clothes."

"Oh, yes, of-course. Hito, would you accompany Kan-Chan please? I'd come too, but I've still got a lot to finish up before my shift is up…"

"Certainly. We wouldn't want you to get into trouble with Master, Youko." Hito nodded to Kan-Chan. "Let's go."

"Thanks for helping me, Youko-Chan!" The human bowed. He felt it was necessary to show his respect for a colleague of a higher position, even if she was a close friend. As the newest slave, Kantarou had the lowest status, and therefore had to treat everyone around him with respect.

The fox youkai laughed. "See you later Kan-Chan."

---

"Would you like some help, Kantarou?" Hito asked, watching the human struggling to hold all his outfits at once. They were all packaged in clear, see-through material, but that didn't make it much easier to hold them all at once.

"No, no, I've got it…" Kantarou mumbled; only his hair and eyes were visible, peeping over the mound of clothes in his arms.

"Now, now…" The little youkai chuckled, reaching up to tug at a package. "Let me take the blue one..."

Kantarou put the clothes down onto his bed and studied them. Two of the clothes were a darker grey than the thicker one, but he couldn't quite remember what the Tailor had said.

'Was it two grey coats or two blue coats?' Kantarou panicked. 'No, wait, the robe was grey…I think…'

"Alright, you can carry that one." The human smiled, passing one of the coats to Hito.

"Kantarou, that's one of your grey work clothes…" The goblin frowned. "The robe is the blue one…"

"Oh, right, yes…I'm sorry, Hito…" Kantarou flushed a little, passing the thicker robe to the youkai.

"…Are you feeling okay, Kantarou? Maybe you're just tired after working with Youko?"

"…Yeah…that must be it…" Kantarou sighed. 'I've got to be more careful…'

"Here, I'll take a coat and the robe. The kimono will be heavy." Hito said, taking the clothes from the bed.

Kantarou followed the shorter slave out of his room and down the hallway. Hito used the time to talk about his knowledge of folklore. Kantarou, half-listening, wondered what Haruka would say to him.

'Will the meeting just be about my new clothes and work…? Or will he bring Kentaro up again….?'

"You know, according to Lord Sugino, the word 'oni' is sometimes speculated to be derived from 'on', the on'yomi reading of the character 'to hide' or 'conceal'. To humans, all kinds of demons are said to be bad luck, and…Kantarou…are you even listening?"

"Yes…I am. Did Lord Sugino talk about the various forms youkai could take? Some demons are invisible to the human eye…"

"That's right!" Hito smiled. "I have a few friends who have that kind of form. It's a shame you wouldn't be able to see them, Kantarou. I'm sure you would get along with them."

"Oh, I would be able to see them." Kantarou smiled, not really thinking as he said it.

"What? But, Kantarou…"

The human smiled, his red eyes shining. "I'm…special…"

"Is it your…eyes, Kantarou? Such a strange colour, even for a demon…"

"Can I trust you, Hito-san?" Kantarou whispered as the pair climbed the stairs, walking in unison.

"…Of-course…"

"And Youko-Chan, too?"

"You know how loyal a fox demon is, don't you?" Hito frowned. "She may seem the type that loves to share secrets, but I have great faith in Youko. I'm surprised you question her trust…"

"Then, you don't mind waiting a little longer for me, do you?" Kantarou asked, his eyes fixed on the door leading to Haruka's office. "It isn't time yet…"

"Kantarou…"

"Well, here we are. Thank-you for all your help, Hito… And for listening."

The human took the clothes from the youkai. Once his arms were free, Hito knocked on Haruka's door.

"Yes?"

"Master, Kantarou is here."

"Open the door. You may enter, Kantarou." The tengu replied, sitting cross-legged on his armchair. "Hito, please return to you duties."

"As you wish, Master." Hito bowed in the hallway, disappearing from view as the door closed behind the human boy.

"Good afternoon Kantarou." The tengu addressed his slave. "Please sit down."

"Thank-you Master." Kantarou sat on the chair opposite the demon eater.

"Let me see your clothes." Kantarou passed all the packages to Haruka. "Now, these two grey coats are standard working outfits. You must wash them and dry them frequently. The blue robe is for when it is colder, or if you are working outdoors. Underwear will be provided in your bedroom drawer. Youko will have put it away by the time you return. The white kimono is for special occasions and trips into town. Is that clear?"

"Yes Master. Thank-you for your generosity."

The tengu smiled, pushing his hair out of his face. The shadow from the tall, thin, empty china vase sat on the chair-side table darkened half of Haruka's face, and turned his eyes a darker shade of green, although Kantarou could only guess the colour.

"There was another reason I asked you to see me, Kantarou." Haruka's smile disappeared. He stood up and walked over to his desk.

"Master?"

"I'm starting to believe there's a particular reason I brought you home with me. It wasn't out of pity, nor was it because I needed another slave. It wasn't even because you were human. You caught my eye, Kantarou. You were interesting. But, it's more than that. Answer me truthfully, Kantarou." Haruka took his letter opener into his hand and came to stand next to Kantarou. Crouching to his slave's level, the sharp tool dangerously close to the human's pale skin, Haruka stared into blood red orbs. "Do you feel it too? Our meeting was no chance, Kantarou Ichinomiya."

"…I believe its fate, Master…" Kantarou whispered.

"And I believe you had something to do with it." Haruka drew away, sitting back down and playing with the letter opener. Kantarou watched as slender fingers twirled the object, escaping injury.

"…" Kantarou waited for Haruka's explanation. 'I want to see into your mind, Haruka. What is it that you remember?'

"Kantarou…" Haruka's voice seemed strangely quiet. His tone was soft and inquisitive. "Have we met before…?"

Tbc…

---

Sooo…what is Haruka on about? I'm afraid you'll have to wait for chapter ten to find out! The original chapter nine added Kantarou's reply onto it, but I revised it, thinking this added more suspense. Was I wrong?

The 'on'yomi reading' is the Sino-Japanese reading – a Japanese approximation of the Chinese pronunciation - of the character at the time it was introduced into the language.

I post-poned Lord Raikou's return, but he will have an important appearance soon enough. And Kaworu will be joining us again in chapter ten. Sugino and Muu-Chan should re-appear sometime in the future.

Thanks for reading, and once again, I apologize for being a lousy author.

Minako Angel xxx


	10. Chapter 10

My oh my... It's already April…

Why is it taking me so long to update? I wish I knew! I hope you'll all forgive me…

Special thanks to: crimsonrosepetals (a wonderful review, welcome to my fanfiction), Rangerette, Madamag, dimonyo-anghel, Broken Vows (an interesting image, hmm), Akira Ijyuin (I am a bad person, you're not wrong _sniffle_), chibiazn3, MintyFlake (I'm sorry for being such a slacker!), wind-master-redmoon, Rakastaa, takara94, goku-chan (hello again, I personally think you should try out La Esperanca. The series starts off slow, but it's worth it by the end. There are seven volumes), NinetailsKyuu9, Cheekyamericangrl211 (welcome, new fan girl!), GreyLiliy, artist-girl731, DyingHerInnocence (what an awesome review, heh heh, thankies) and Ratt-San!

Dedicated to: Everyone who is still with me so far! I'm so grateful you guys!

Disclaimer: I do not own Tactics. I'm presuming everyone here knows it's a series collaborated by Sakura Kinoshita and Kazuko Higashiyama, so please don't sue me! I'm not making any profits here!

Warning: Master/Slave relationships.

Chapter Ten

"_Kantarou…" Haruka's voice seemed strangely quiet. His tone was soft and inquisitive. "Have we met before…?"_

"…Master?" Kantarou slowly lowered his head, his tangled fringe flopping over his eyes. With one finger he began tracing the circular marks of the wood grain on the table to his left, jolting a little when the tip of his finger tapped against a ceramic pot of sage.

Haruka's eyes were a shade darker than usual, and he watched his slave like a hawk, monitoring his every movement for any sign of a slip-up. If Kantarou was an imposter, ordered to infiltrate his mansion and gather information on the demon eater, Haruka would show the boy what became of humans who misunderstood their place.

"Do you remember a time where humans were in control?" Kantarou's voice, a mere whisper, brought Haruka back to the situation at hand. The frowning tengu roughly placed his hands on Kantarou's upper arms. "A time when the government officials deemed youkai as…more than dangerous monsters, but…creatures born from a darkness created by the greed and despair of a human soul -"

Haruka quickly pulled Kantarou to his feet and shoved him against the nearest wall. The human winced at the action, but kept his lips pressed tightly together, preventing any sound escaping.

"Who…are…you?" Haruka breathed, digging his long nails into Kantarou's precious, pale skin, hard enough to draw blood.

"Kantarou…Kantarou Ichinomiya, Master."

"Were you sent to the auction to find me?" Haruka asked, only tightening his grip on Kantarou as he struggled.

"No, of-course not Master, I -"

"Where are you from?"

"A…a small village not far from town…Master, please…"

"Answer my question, _boy_. Have we met before?"

Kantarou froze. The way Haruka had called him boy seemed suddenly familiar. A gruff voice, tinged with affection, reached his ears. It wasn't time to answer Haruka's question. It was too soon…but Kantarou's mind had separated from his mouth, and his lips were moving without him even realising what he was saying, if he was forming words at all.

"In another place…" Kantarou muttered. Even with his sharp hearing, Haruka struggled to make sense of Kantarou's whispers.

"Speak up Kantarou!" The tengu demanded as the silver-haired human began to chant some kind of mantra as if traumatised.

"In a forest...it's blurry…I don't understand it all…but it's not…not right…I think, maybe I -"

Haruka shook Kantarou hard, trying to free him from his own delusions, but the boy didn't respond. His ruby eyes were glazed over, and focussed straight ahead as if he saw through his Master.

"Kantarou!"

The tengu raised his hand and roughly back-handed Kantarou's right cheek. The force of the slap sent the human to his knees, where he sagged closer to the carpet.

"No…" Kantarou whispered, stronger this time. "No…no…we haven't met before…Master…"

Haruka said nothing. He took a step back and made his way to the door without a backward glance at his slave.

Kantarou heard Haruka leave, but his legs weren't co-operating. His mind swirled with images he couldn't remember seeing with his own two eyes. He could hear a chant fading into the background, and a scream. A blood-thirsty, angry scream. It was a war cry for revenge, and Kantarou was part of it. He was there, and yet, as he blinked and found himself on the floor of Haruka's study with a sore cheek and surrounded by the smell of fresh sage, he had no idea why.

--

Youko headed back to her room after finishing off her chores and tidying up after the messy Lord Sugino. As usual, it had been a taxing day, especially with Kantarou and his endearing attempts at housework.

"Kan-Chan just isn't the type of person for such menial tasks…It's his personality, the lazy, little – huh?" Youko glanced at her calendar and froze. "Ah! It's…it's!" The fox youkai quickly threw off her apron before running into the hallway and down to Kaworu's room.

"Hey! Kaworu! Kaworu, open up! It's me!" Youko cried out, her ears poking up from under her tousled brown locks. "There's another market in town tomorrow night! Remember?"

Youko stopped banging on the door.

"Kaworu?"

"Youko, was that you?" A sleepy voice demanded. Hito's door was open and the small youkai was frowning at the excited maid. "What's all the racket?"

"I apologize, Hito-san. It's just; I was going to see Kaworu…"

"Oh, he's not in his room, Youko." Hito confirmed. "I suppose he's still busy in the kitchen, although at this hour, who knows?"

"I am sorry for disturbing you, Hito. Goodnight…and thank-you." Youko smiled.

"You're welcome. Sleep well, Youko. See you at breakfast."

With a small sigh, Youko wondered what time Kantarou would return. The human had probably never attended an old, traditional youkai magi market. There were only three a year and they always fell on evenings where there was a full moon.

"Kaworu…" Youko turned back to look briefly at the sky demon's door. 'Your shift finished a while ago…but…you've disappeared…again.' Youko shook her head. It wasn't really any of her business how Kaworu spent his free time. 'Oh well. Tomorrow's another day…'

--

The sun was setting, disappearing below the horizon. Soon it would be dusk, and the light illuminating the sky would be reduced to pale glow from the moon. It was nearly a full circle, high above the purple clouds, a beacon brighter than the stars.

Haruka gazed at the moon, his eyes reflecting the orb. A flapping of gentle wings broke the tranquil silence, and Haruka's private space was invaded by another.

"I was wrong." The tengu admitted, not turning to face the figure. He knew who it was, and so ignored any greeting.

"You think so?" Sugino asked, watching his friend's relaxed posture. Haruka finally glanced at the white-winged tengu, expecting to see Muu-chan with him, however, the smaller youkai was absent from Sugino's arms. "She thought it was better that I spoke with you alone…"

"I know you know, Sugino." Haruka muttered, after a few moments.

"…W…what about?"

"Kantarou. You were suspicious about him from the beginning." Haruka sighed, stretching out his dark, velvet wings.

"I don't trust humans, Haruka. Especially ones with red eyes…"

"I know. But, there's something different about this one. Now tell me, honestly Sugino, what you think about Kantarou…"

"I'm not sure, Haruka. Muu-chan doesn't think he's a threat, but…I'm not sure. I mean, that picture shows a remarkable resemblance – oh!"

Haruka didn't miss Sugino's slip, but made no initial reaction to it. "I don't appreciate you sneaking around my room, Sugino. I had a feeling you'd seen something. You look surprisingly guilty for a change."

"You knew just by looking at my face? Ah, that's the demon eater I knew." Sugino grinned, shifting closer to Haruka.

"That and I noticed the picture was at the front of the book, and not behind the first page where I left it."

"Ah…"

"No servant of mine would dare disturb my things, but you, Sugino, have no tact."

"I'm sorry, Haruka-chan…"

"Sugino, I'm going back to visit Kentaro."

Taken aback by Haruka's response, Sugino stood up and stared down at his friend. "The tailor? Why?"

"I have a feeling, Sugino, that there's more to all this than me buying Kantarou. That man knows something I don't."

"Really…? How interesting…"

"I suppose telling you to keep you nose out won't stop you, will it?" Haruka asked, sitting up.

"I make no promises, Haruka-chan." Sugino smirked, holding his hand out to Haruka. The demon-eater paused for a moment, before taking the hand and allowing Sugino to help him up.

"As long as you tell no lies." Haruka muttered, flexing his wings before taking off into the moonlit sky.

--

Kantarou began to make his way across the hallway on shaky legs. His meeting with Lord Haruka hadn't gone as well as he'd hoped, but at least he still had time to make sense of everything.

"Forgive me, Master. I didn't mean to cast any doubt about myself in your mind. I want you to trust me, so that we can be friends. That's all I ever wanted…"

As he drew nearer the huge window, he felt a mysterious aura pass through him. He shuddered at the power.

"A youkai…is loosing restraint…" He muttered. "A powerful demon, but, who is it…?"

Kantarou managed another two steps forward before a sudden burning took over his chest. The pain was over-whelming, forcing Kantarou to fall down onto his knees as he cried out in agony. His hands clutched at his chest, bringing about a sudden realisation that it wasn't a heart attack. It was his scar.

"Aah!" Tears welled up his eyes, and his breathing was reduced to heavy pants. 'W…why?' Kantarou panicked, looking around in case anyone was around.

The burning sensation wasn't fading, but felt as if it was spreading through his body. Kantarou's throat constricted and the sudden action set off a relentless cough that racked his small frame.

Kantarou lowered his hands once the coughing subsided, and stared down at them. His palms were covered in a watery substance. Kantarou opened his eyes slowly, fearing what he would see.

Red. His hands were stained red. Kantarou could smell the coppery scent of his own blood. But what shocked him more was that he could see it. He could _see_ the colour of his blood instead of a grey liquid.

"What's happening to me…?" He whispered as the pain gradually began to withdraw from his system, leaving him drained and weak, slumped against the wall.

--

Outside, Kaworu had taken off into the air, his large wings beating furiously as he gained altitude. On the floor of the balcony, a golden ankle bracelet, one form of a youkai seal, laid discarded on the tiles.

Tbc…

--

And that is where chapter ten ends. Sorry it's another short instalment. I hope I can get into the spirit of writing this story again. I guess I can only blame myself for my laziness, but I'm just so tired these days!

Thanks for reading everyone!

Minako Angel xxx


	11. Chapter 11

Hello, Minako here. I may be the lousiest author in the Tactics section…but thanks for sticking with me! Apologies for it being such a short chapter…I almost gave up on this story, even though I'm determined to write an okay HaruKan fic.

I have so many people to thank for reviewing! I cannot express how happy I am that you continue to support me and read my story. It encourages me to be a better writer (despite my slow updates), and I am very lucky to have such amazing people interested in my work. Minako send her love to you all!

Special thanks to: GreyLiliy, TenshiGosuperu, Rangerette, iShiznitch (you've changed your pen name!), kolache Mastah, MintyFlake (could I still have that cookie?), wind-master-redmoon, Aoi Faith (of-course I don't mind, review away!), kingleby, MadaMag (I hope it's good confusion), awkward.spider (sorry if I made you sad), Goku-chan (I miss your motivational reviews! Forgive me for being such a slow writer and updater!), crimsonrosepetals (I am very close to writing some action! Thanks for writing such wonderful reviews!), DyingHerInnocence (I hope you don't mind waiting so long for my chapters!), Queen of the Nymphs, Miyuki Meiru (I am continuing SoG…very slowly…), artist-girl731, toomuchinuyasha (I wish I could work faster too), Innocence Has a Gun, Bored2Deth (thanks for being honest, I'm glad you like my story so far), setsuko teshiba, katiesquilts (I can be cruel with cliffhangers, sorry!), NinetailsKyuu9, Mystic Farie, Kantaro lover (I'm happy you like my fic, but I can be such a bad updater…my apologies), Ketsueki-Ken (thankies! Have I left it too long for another review?), Anonymous, A Single Fragile Rose, Kisetsu Shirosenshi 116, Nicole Arden, Rinix14 (Actually, this chapter might bring more confusion…), Poison Jack (do you really want someone like me to have your first-born? I'll have to pass I'm afraid, but I must thank-you for calling me a goddess, love ya!), tinky and an excited fan (you really were excited! Great!)

Disclaimer: I do not own Tactics. I'm presuming everyone here knows it's a series collaborated by Sakura Kinoshita and Kazuko Higashiyama, so please don't sue me! I'm not making any profits here!

Warning: Master/Slave relationships.

Chapter Eleven

Haruka swooped lower, mindful of the flock of geese migrating in a v-shape amongst the clouds. Haruka relaxed as the wind rustled his dark locks; he liked the sensation, as if someone was lightly running their fingers through his hair. Below him, night was setting in over the town. The lanterns were being lit, appearing like fireflies dancing in the breeze.

It wouldn't take the tengu long to reach his destination. The Tailor's shop was located on the outskirts of the town centre, away from the hustle and bustle of the townsfolk.

Kentaro was a solitary half-human. He lived alone above his store, like most shop owners.

Haruka spied the rooftop of the Tailor's, and prepared to land. His large, velvet wings began to beat slower, and Haruka began to hover. He circled downwards, his reduced speed allowing him to land gracefully onto Kentaro's small balcony.

The balcony door was already open, and Kentaro's curtains were flapping softly against the glass. Kentaro looked up from his book and granted the trespassing tengu a gentle smile.

"Good evening Lord Haruka; and what, may I ask, is the pleasure of your visit?"

--

Kantarou blinked several times. Dragging his un-cooperating legs from beneath him, the human brought one hand to his chest. His scar had stopped throbbing, and the pains in joints had faded.

"Where…?" Crimson eyes searched the length of the hallway in fear. This house was unfamiliar territory to the human – when had he been taken here?

Kantarou's head was still hurting. He'd almost blacked out earlier – maybe he had passed out, and this was all a dream.

"He'll beat me awake, I'm sure." Kantarou shuddered. He hoped that if this was a dream, he could wake up safe and sound, away from the vicious slave master, and worse, his keeper.

As he stood, Kantarou noticed his robes. "They're new…" He patted the garment curiously. "If this is a dream…where am I meant to be?"

Kantarou felt a world away from his grey imprisonment. The hall was light and colourful. There were huge paintings adorning the walls, and several doors on each side of the corridor.

"It's beautiful." Kantarou sighed, amazed by his new surroundings.

_It isn't time yet. _The voice in his head murmured.

"What?" Kantarou stepped back against the wall. "Who…who said that?"

_You did._

"That's it…I'm going crazy." Kantarou warily checked if there was anyone hiding in the corridor. There was no use staying where he was, so he bravely stepped forwards, continuing towards the staircase. This house was so big; it was more of a mansion.

Kantarou noticed the large balcony windows, and paused mid-step at his reflection in the glass. His pale skin was clean, his wounds had been treated and his hair looked washed. His new blue robe was only ruined by the red stains of blood he'd coughed up. His reflection shook his head.

_I'm sorry, I need more time. _

Kantarou raised his hands to his throbbing head. His reflection didn't copy him.

"Th…this is a very strange dream…"

_It's okay, Ichinomiya Kantarou. Everything will be fine, I promise._

Kantarou grabbed at his head with more force as the headache worsened, pulling at his silver locks hard enough to almost rip them out. His vision swam for a few seconds, and he reached out for the banister to steady his small frame.

The moment of dizziness passed quickly, and Kantarou breathed a sigh of relief. It was getting dark outside; the moon was already shining high above Haruka's mansion. Kantarou headed towards the servants' quarters a little shaken, but not too worse for wear. He pushed open his room door and sat down on his freshly made bed, panting from his earlier exertion.

"I've got to be careful." He muttered, lying down and snuggling into his soft sheets. Everything looked more familiar again.

Familiar, safe, and grey.

--

Kentaro closed his book and stood up to greet Haruka.

"You expected me?" The tengu asked, peering at the half-human suspiciously.

"Would you like a cup of herbal tea, Sir? Or haven't you brought your bowl?" Kentaro poured himself a cup of tea from an old china kettle.

"Then you know why I've come." Haruka pushed the balcony door shut behind him. "How do you know him?"

"Are we talking about your new slave?" Kentaro asked, blinking innocently as he sipped his drink.

"His name is Kantarou." Haruka seated himself at Kentaro's desk. He could picture the young human staring at him through his large red eyes, his pink lips pouting as Youko told him to stop glaring at his Master and sweep the floor. He tried to shake the image from his mind, reminding himself he was here for a reason. "Pardon the intrusion, but I think your hiding something from me."

"Well, there's something we have in common." Kentaro smiled.

"Don't play games with me." Haruka warned, baring his teeth. "I am in no mood to deal with this tonight."

"If I tell you what you want to know, would you give it to me?" Kentaro asked, placing his empty cup onto his bedside table.

"You want to bargain with me? You are a foolish man."

"It's only fair I get something in return, Lord Haruka."

"I'd have to kill you." Haruka looked down at his hands. "You should know better than to ask for something you can't have."

Kentaro stood up, his back facing Haruka, and removed his glasses. His eyes looked smaller, and the little scar on his eyelid stood out even more. "Ichi-kun was a lot like me." He sighed. "I didn't expect to see him again, after everything…"

Haruka watched Kentaro as he went to his dresser.

The half-human rooted through his drawers. "I have something I'd like you to give to him, if you please. It's…a gift I gave him several years ago."

"Where did you meet him?" Haruka asked, his hands clutching at Kentaro's bed sheets. "Are you Kantarou's previous Master? Why were you separated?"

Kentaro took something small out of his top drawer. It was a red bracelet with several bells attached to it. They jingled as the Tailor handed the item out to Haruka.

"Kentaro?"

"Lord Haruka…This belongs to…Kantarou. Please take it to him."

Haruka took the charm bracelet and put it safely into his pocket. "You are involved, whether you like it or not, Kentaro.

"Yes." The Tailor nodded sadly. "I am."

"How much do you know?"

"Enough…but he knows more."

Haruka stared into Kentaro's green eyes, searching for anything that might be revealed there. "You'll both tell me."

"I'm-" Kentaro's eyes dropped to look at the floor. "I'm done talking tonight."

Haruka paused, torn between forcing the half-human to speak and returning home to sort out his thoughts.

The Tailor looked tired. Under his eyes were dark circles, and his posture was slumped from exhaustion. Even though Kentaro had expected Haruka to turn up at his house eventually, the knowing smile he'd worn earlier had been wiped off his face. Haruka made up his mind.

"Good night Kentaro."

The tengu let himself out, closing the balcony door behind him once more. A cat yowled from the street below Haruka as he began flexing his wings ready for take-off.

Kentaro watched Haruka fly into the night sky through his window. He ran one hand sleepily through his hair.

"You're going to need that, Ichi-kun, if we're all going to get out of this mess."

--

Thanks for continuing to read Shades of Grey, I really appreciate it. I'm just checking the new 'Reader Traffic' page – its graphs and stats are very interesting. It seems like most of my page and story visitors are from Thailand and Ireland! Thanks guys!

On a completely unrelated note, I was wondering if anyone reading has been to Bellingham, Washington. I hope to visit Lake Samish in the future, when I have money, and I was wondering if anyone could tell me more about the place…Thanks in advance!

Much love everyone!

Minako Angel xxx


	12. Chapter 12

¡Hola! Yes, I'm _finally_ back with a new chapter of **Shades of Grey**. I haven't abandoned this story! I can't believe it has been months since I last updated. I'm even more surprised that more people are finding and reading my work of fiction. I love feedback of any kind, and I am very lucky to have so many nice people reading and reviewing **Shades of Grey**.

I have a lot of people to thank this time around! That's what happens when you disappear for such a long time I suppose. I am now, according to crimsonrosepetals, the second lousiest author in the Tactics section! Forgive me! Here we go…

Special thanks to: Youkai Of Hearts, TenshiGosuperu, Cheekyamericangrl211, Bored2Deth, , MintyFlake, takara94, Nicole Arden, Aoi Faith, Goku-chan, crimsonrosepetals, iShiznitch, Akira Ijyuin, Lady SYNdrome, Anonymous, DrakenD4, kagomegirl2004, wind-master-redmoon, KuroNekoFangirl, danilion, kyothefallenkit, iruka92, aisu-sakura, crystal-chan, ShinigamiXIII, Elenore93, FlappyGal, B.o.R.e.D.b.U.t.B.u.S.y., Pennatus, Iriomote Yamaneko Nokomis, sapphermine, stac, Ken6yaZero, ohayo, Innocence Has a Gun, wolf, Lexi Aduial Elen, sora7, greenpeople and hfs9c1.

Note: In the future, all answers to questions and 'personal' responses will be sent as replies to reviews. For anyone who hasn't got an account or reviews anonymously instead of signing in, I will post them at the end of the chapter. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Tactics; I am merely borrowing the characters for my own entertainment and throwing them into a world I created! Please don't sue me!

Chapter Twelve

The silver glow of the moon guided Haruka back home late that evening. As he drew nearer to the mansion he called home, a strange sense of foreboding overcame him, churning his stomach. He had never cared much for the tailor, and would have kept his distance if not for Kantarou. The new slave was more than just another lowly human. Haruka was sure the boy was hiding something important from him. If this proved to be the case, he would have to be dealt with. All slaves had to know their place. Perhaps Sugino was right to be suspicious of Kantarou…but then, Sugino disliked all humans.

As Haruka flew over the stables, one of his horses snorted, huddling closer to her companion. It seemed even the animals were growing restless, as if something big was on the horizon.

Haruka put his wings away immediately after landing. He felt comfier without them being there all the time. Sugino told him he looked 'too human' like that, though Haruka had thought nothing of it. There were other powerful youkai who preferred to hide their features. It didn't mean anything.

The house was silent, as to be expected after 9pm. Haruka liked his evenings to be as peaceful as possible. The calming sound of the wind rustling the leaves of the large trees outside his bedroom window reminded him of a place he often dreamt about. In this dream, there was a large rock, situated in a forest full of lush greens and beautiful, wild flowers. This place was pictured so vividly in his mind, Haruka often wondered if he had been there at some time in his life. He could feel the wind whipping wet strands of hair across his face. The rock was course under his fingers, the ground soft under his bare feet. Yet even here, he wasn't alone. He could feel another's presence, even in the dream world.

"Strange…" Haruka muttered under his breath. "I'm thinking of this now…"

Haruka realised he hadn't had the dream in the weeks Kantarou had started living with him. He missed dreaming of the forest. When he had revealed the dream to Sugino, the white-winged tengu told him what he was really dreaming of was escapism.

"_That's the place you want to be, Haruka-chan. You need to escape this place and move away from the town."_

Haruka climbed the stairs to his room, his boots making little noise on the soft throw at the top of the landing. It would be another long day tomorrow. In the evening, there would be the second magi festival of the year. The celebration lasted for hours, into the morning of the following day, and would be attended by thousands of youkai, from peasants to nobles. Humans frequently attended, although most were there because of orders from their masters.

King Sojobo had stated in a speech many years ago that the festivals were more than just a tradition handed down by youkai ancestors. The full moon that graced the sky in the evenings of the festivals represented the freedom of youkai. The first festival was to remember the brave. It was said that after the great battle between humans and youkai, a full moon came out and bathed the surviving soldiers in a pure, luminous light. It marked the end of an era, an era of human government and control. On this very night, magi was restored in every town and city. The other festivals also celebrated youkai achievements or events from the same year.

Haruka draped his coat lazily over a chair. Youko would put it away in the morning. The bulge in the coat pocket caught his eye as he pulled off his boots. It was the bracelet Kentaro had given him barely an hour ago.

"_Lord Haruka…This belongs to…Kantarou. Please take it to him."_

The tengu gave a heavy sigh. "Just what I need. More unanswered questions."

He wondered if he would get any respite in sleep. He was long overdue a trip back to the forest.

---

Kantarou woke up early the next morning, still a little sore from the previous evening. He felt slightly light headed, and didn't feel like doing chores.

"I'm not going to make any progress at this rate." He frowned, putting on his work robe. He could feel Youko's aura before she appeared at the other side of his bedroom door. The fox youkai called his name after knocking three times. Kantaoru closed his eyes and concentrated on her. She was feeling cheerful, but there was a touch of sadness, and perhaps curiosity, coming from her too. Kantarou was surprised by the intensity of the sensation of her inner feelings. His powers had grown since yesterday's mishap. 'I'm running out of time.' He realised, finally calling back to his youkai friend. "Come in, Youko-chan."

"Kan-chan? Are you okay?" Youko asked, seeing Kantaoru looking paler than usual. She reached out to touch his forehead. "Well, at least you aren't feverish."

"…Youko." Kantarou started, and then stopped himself from saying anymore.

"What is it?"

"Later…can we talk?" Kantarou thought carefully about his words. "After our shifts."

"Of-course. Is something bugging you 'little brother'?" She asked, teasing the human.

"I have something I need to tell you. And Hito and Amefuri too, if possible."

"This sounds serious." Youko said, stroking Kantarou's hair softly. "Try not to do any solitary brooding, okay? I'll listen to what you have to say. Although, I fear we'll get into trouble with Lord Haruka for such secrecy."

"I'm sorry; I don't want to appear any more suspicious in his eyes than I am now." Kantarou admitted. He realised his shift started in less than ten minutes. He would be disposing of Haruka's old papers first. "I'm sure Lord Sugino is waiting for me to slip-up so that he can get rid of me as soon as possible."

"Don't mind Lord Sugino. He may seem independent, but he's really no match for Lady Muu-chan. She trusts you, so you should be safe for now. Just don't get into trouble."

"Thanks. I'll try not to. It's just that, trouble has a way of finding me." Kantarou chuckled. "Anyway. I appreciate you giving up your time to listen to me."

"Just remember, it's the magi festival tonight. If we're going to talk, it'll have to be before we leave."

"Yes, I agree. I've never been to a magi festival before…" Kantarou had always wanted to attend an important youkai event, for several reasons. He'd heard other slaves whispering about the festival over the past few days, yet he'd neglected to ask anyone about the celebrations.

"You're in for a treat. I'll fill you in later. Work hard now!" Youko grinned. The bells on the wall started ringing. It was Haruka, signalling his need for assistance from Amefuri.

Kantarou nodded, following Youko out of his room and into the hallway. "I will. See you later." He bowed, showing his respect for the higher ranked slave, before setting off to start his first task of the day.

---

Haruka placed the key back in his pocket after locking the door. Every few days he did this morning routine of checking the contents of this room were all still there. It was the one room in his house that no servant was allowed to enter. Even Sugino hadn't caught of a glimpse of the locked room on the top floor.

The tengu had not told a single soul what he kept hidden away, but there were people who knew despite his secrecy. There were youkai and humans alike that would kill to get into the room.

'I will not hand it over to you, Kentaro. This business with my slave has nothing to do with anything in here.'

When Haruka arrived back at his study, Amefuri was waiting patiently. The smaller youkai bowed to his master.

"Amefuri, pour me a tea please." Haruka asked. It would be another half-an-hour before breakfast was served.

"Yes Master." Amerfuri went to fetch Haruka's tea bowl, leaving the demon eater alone once more.

---

Kaworu was working hard in the kitchen, cooking breakfast with Hito for the rest of Haruka's servants, their master and their guests.

The one-eyed demon noticed how quiet his friend had been since their shift started nearly an hour ago. Kaworu was normally full of life and excitable in the morning. Now, he was frying eggs on a plate over heated coals with a reserved look on his face.

Hito had attempted to coax whatever it was that was affecting Kaworu out of him with no success.

Kaworu told Hito he was just tired, which wasn't a lie, and apologised for causing his friend concern.

"Has the dining table been laid out yet?" Kaworu asked, finishing off the rice.

"Almost." Hito replied, hanging the recently washed drying rags back up for cleaning up after breakfast. "The cutlery is still in the drawers."

"Hmm." Kaworu nodded, still feeling shaken from the night before. His hands were still a little red from washing one of his work robes in the early hours of the morning. He wasn't sure how it had got in that state, but he had a feeling that he'd done it again. Although he could not remember anything other than falling into bed at some ungodly hour, he had woken up with a feeling of dread and guilt that always plagued him after a night out. He silently hoped Youko would not notice anything wrong with his shirt when she moved onto her next shift following breakfast. He wasn't prepared to answer any questions as to why his usually plain white sleeves were stained red.

---

The day passed almost like any other. Kantarou complained about chores, although he had very few household duties, and was usually left sealing Haruka's letters with hot wax and sorting through old paperwork. It may not have been the most exciting job, but it was better than cleaning.

The human wondered if Haruka would pay him a visit during his shift. His master had ignored his presence all morning, although something was definitely on is mind. He seemed more distant than usual.

'Have you found something out, I wonder?' Kantarou thought. In the back of his mind, something stirred. 'You're waking up.' He shook his head. There were so many things he had to tell Youko, Amefuri and Hito later, yet there were plenty of questions he wanted answers to. In particular, Kantarou was curious about the tailor, Kentaro. 'You know me. I'm sure this will only complicate matters.'

Kantarou was glad of the bell ringing for dinner. Youko had promised to explain the magi festival to him, and he would finally get a glimpse of Haruka after working in solitude for hours.

---

Haruka finished his dinner pointedly avoiding the looks Sugino was giving him. Muu-chan seemed rather cheerful that morning, and sat happily by the white tengu's side.

Haruka quickly reminded everyone that they had to be ready by 8pm at the front door, fully prepared to attend the festival in their best robes, then he dismissed his servants and followed Lord Sugino and his wife out of the room.

"So Kan-chan." Youko turned to her friend. "Are you excited about tonight? Master will be taking us to the festival along with Lord Sugino and Lady Muu-chan."

"I am happy I will be able to attend something so important. Thank-you again for filling me in." Kantarou replied. He now knew, thanks to Youko and Hito, that the second magi festival celebrated the birth of one of the most influential youkai leaders, King Sojobo's father. The third festival, the youkai celebration of light, would take place several months from now.

"Did you see Kaworu?" Youko whispered. "He looked so sad at dinner. I wanted to ask him if everything was alright, but he hurried back into the kitchen to do the dishes."

"Perhaps it has something to do with the festival?" Kantarou said, although he couldn't understand why. He didn't know Kaworu as well as some of the other slaves since their jobs were so different, and their shifts often clashed. So far, he had befriended Youko, Hito and Amefuri. The other slaves rarely spoke to him, although he was told that was their nature.

"Well, Master wants me to feed the horses, so I shall see you all this evening." Hito said, standing beside Amefuri.

Whilst the others were about to say their goodbyes and part ways, Kantarou realised it could be the only time he had the three of them together all day.

"Please, would you spare a few minutes?" Kantarou asked, leading them further down the hallway, away from the other servants.

Youko and Amefuri nodded, although Hito looked a little worried. "If you're quick." He said nervously. He did not want to be scolded by Lord Haruka for neglecting his duties.

"Then I shall be as brief as I can." Kantarou said, checking the corridor was clear before continuing. "I'm sorry to say…I haven't been one hundred percent honest with you. But…there was no other way."

Tbc…

---

I'm back into writing slightly longer chapters again, so I hope that makes up a little bit for making you all wait so long. I know there was very little HaruKan interaction in this chapter, but it will build up.

I'd like to know if anyone is (more) confused after reading this chapter. I've thrown a lot of stuff into this one, rather than having two really short chapters. Do you guys prefer it this way?

Okay, that's all from me for now. I'm afraid to say that **Shades of Grey** will be updated randomly in the future, but I really want to post my chapters quicker than I have been doing for the last couple. At the moment I am very busy with exams, and I will be at camp over the summer, leaving me with very little time to write and upload chapters.

I'm sorry again for making you all wait so long. I just hope this chap was worth the wait.

Espero verte pronto!

Minako Angel xxx


	13. Chapter 13

_**Shades**__** of **__**Grey**_ has been updated. I can hardly believe it myself!

Dedicated to: Everyone who reviewed the last chapter, sent me PMs, added my story to their alert or faves lists…and everyone who wants to continue this story with me, two years on. This new chapter is for you all.

I'm sorry for the wait.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tactics.

Chapter Thirteen

"Kan-chan?" Youko whispered as the human looked worriedly behind him as a door creaked open. For a moment, the slaves said nothing, waiting in case someone appeared.

"In here." Hito said quietly, leading them into an empty room. They couldn't stay here long, but it was more private than talking out in the hall.

With the door firmly closed behind him, Kantarou decided it was now or never. He had to let the truth out and put his faith in the youkai who had welcomed him into Lord Haruka's home. His throat was dry and his pulse racing as he practiced the words over and over again in his head. "It's difficult to explain, but I need to be honest with you."

Amefuri patted Kantarou's arm gently. "My heart tells me you can be trusted. What is it that troubles you so Kantarou?"

"I need your help." The human sighed, ready at last to be open with his new friends. "And I'm running out of time."

"How can we be of assistance Kantarou?" Hito asked, noting the pained expression on the boy's face.

"There's a seal I must break…"

"A seal?" Youko cocked her head to one side as her fluffy ears disappeared beneath her headband. "I'm not sure low level youkai like us will be much help there…but…what kind of a seal?"

"There's the problem." Kantarou sighed. "It's an ancient seal that was placed on something very delicate…it must be broken correctly, or else…"

"This sounds like trouble…" Hito said, ignoring the scowl Youko sent his way. "I'll regret asking this, but where exactly is this seal?"

Kantarou paused, unsure of the reactions he would receive from his friends. "My mind."

For a moment, the servants stood in silence.

"Well I never." Amefuri was the first to speak. "The only seals I've seen on humans…well, you know…they lose their free will. Mindless slaves for powerful Lords…"

"Indeed." Hito scratched his head, puzzled.

"How do you-? No, Who did this to~?"

"Youko," Hito interrupted the flustered fox youkai, "my apologies, but we don't have all day. How can we help Kantarou?" Youko and Amefuri nodded in agreement; they would do their best for Kantarou's sake. There was something very special about this human child.

Grateful for the assistance of the three youkai, Kantarou recalled the item that, as far as he knew, was the only way to help him overcome the seal. "We have to find my~"

A sudden rapture of knocks made Youko jump, her fox ears springing up from under her thick, brown hair. Kantarou became silent and the four servants eyed the door fearfully. It creaked and opened slowly, revealing a rather solemn looking Kaworu.

"Hello there." He bowed, relieved to have found the other servants. "I thought I heard voices. Pardon my intrusion…"

"Kaworu? What is it?" Youko was at the sky demon's side at once.

"Lord Haruka suspects something is awry. He passed the ground floor laundry room and didn't see Youko. I told him I'd look for you, but he didn't seem best pleased."

"Oh dear. I'd better get to work. Thanks for looking for me." Youko glanced back at Kantarou. "Later, okay?" She whispered apologetically.

"You three should get going too." Kaworu warned the other slacking slaves. "Lord Haruka seems rather agitated today. If he sees us standing around like this, I dread to think what may happen…"

"Yes, I must get going…" Hito said, wringing his trembling hands. "Thank-you Kaworu, I must attend to the horses." He bowed quickly and exited the room.

Kaworu, Amefuri and Kantarou exchanged pleasantries, with Amefuri reminding them to be ready promptly for the festival outing in the evening. Before Kantarou could follow the sky demon down the hall, Amefuri grabbed his sleeve.

"What are we looking for? To break the seal?"

Kantarou let loose a small smile at the willing youkai who would go to such lengths to help a mere human. "A charm bracelet with bells. It's nearby, I can feel it…"

Amefuri grinned. "I'll keep a look out."

"Thank-you, friend." Kantarou bowed, then the pair parted to start on their daily chores.

xoxoxoxo

The paper lanterns flickered like dizzy fireflies caught in a breeze, enchanting Kantarou who was transfixed by their simple beauty. He had never been as close to a Japanese festival as he was in this moment, even as a small child.

Haruka watched the human take in the sights and smells of the festival's entrance. "Follow me." The demon eater of legend, dressed elegantly in a fine black suit, lead the selected seven slaves into the manic square surrounded by stalls and dancing youkai.

Kantarou noticed other humans were in attendance, some almost as invisible as their master's shadow, others sat to the side watching the dancers. The lucky ones were able to take part in the festivities, to the disgust of youkai of noble blood.

"Isn't this exciting?" Youko beamed. Her kimono was a beautiful peach colour decorated with large red flowers. Her hair was just as spectacular, pinned up with kanzashi with three delicate flowers dangling down to the fox youkai's forehead. Even in shades of grey, Kantarou thought Youko looked more like a Lady than a slave, a fact that had her smiling even more than usual.

"Look, Lord Sugino's having fun!" Kaworu laughed, pointing out the green-haired youkai. "Not sure about poor Lady Muu-chan though." Lord Sugino was twirling his wife around happily, lost in his own world. He told Haruka that he _must_ enjoy himself tonight and forget about his troublesome human slave.

"Here comes the Mikoshi shrine." Amefuri announced excitedly. Kantarou watched the portable shrine held up by twelve youkai in awe. It was intricately decorated, and surrounding youkai clasped their hands and shouted prayers as it slowly passed them. Even in such an excitable atmosphere, there was sense of peace surrounding the shrine.

Another spectacle quickly caught Kantarou's attention as the traditional lion dance moved closer to Haruka and his slaves. The green lion moved in time to the music, its silver mane swishing frantically as the dancers underneath the cloth completed their steps. Its rhythmical moves were entrancing, and the mask emitted an aura of power. The drummers increased the tempo of their performance as the lion dipped and dived in an increasingly dramatic display that had Kantarou gasp for breath. He jumped when a voice softly whispered into his ear. "Come."

Lord Haruka led the human to a quieter corner of the festival. Kantarou, who had been so caught up in the youkai performance of the lion dance, felt his nerves growing. Haruka had not spoken to him since he'd slapped him, and the worry that the Lord had taken a dislike to him was gnawing at his stomach.

"You look better." Haruka noted after a brief uncomfortable silence. He remembered how pale Kantarou had been following their last confrontation.

"Yes, thank-you Master." Kantarou bowed his head, his body tense. This wasn't like the energetic human Haruka had picked up at the market. "I hope I haven't done anything to upset you."

Haruka slowly patted Kantarou's arm, feeling it relax under his hand. "No, not yet." The noble youkai recalled his conversation with Kentaro, the eerie chalked picture of a boy with red eyes and the fact that he had yet to have his favourite dream since the human's arrival. The more he questioned his own reasons for bringing the boy into his home, the more he believed that their meeting was fated. "But I can't help the feeling that you might."

xoxoxoxo

A big thank-you once again readers for all your support. I'm hoping it won't take me another two years to finish the next chapter!


	14. Chapter 14

_**Shades of Grey**_ has (finally) been updated again. I must apologise for the inexcusable wait, and thank loyal readers, old and new, for their patience and feedback. I am still surprised by the number of followers and reviews this story has, and feel such a lousy author for taking so long to update. Although I have neglected this website as of late, _**Shades of Grey**_ is actively being written, so unless more distressing events take place, it really shouldn't (fingers crossed) take me as long to upload the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tactics, nor am I making any profit from this fanfic.

Many, many, many thanks to the kind reviewers of Chapter Thirteen.

On with the story!

**Chapter Fourteen**

Kantarou watched in awe as four forest youkai focused on the wooden bucket in front of them, paper scoop nets in hand. In a flash, the ox youkai fished his net into the bucket without success. His companions broke into hearty laughter and teased his lack of skill, resulting in a challenge to catch the most fish before the paper scoopers were too damaged to be any use. The goldfish glistened in the moonlight, their orange and silver bodies squirming in the nets before their captors released them into a separate bowl. Kantarou watched the animated four, his ruby red eyes fixed on this intriguing game.

"Having fun?" Youko appeared beside the human, her fox ears proudly on display. Somehow, she appeared more like a youkai tonight - her eyes resembled an alert fox and her aura radiated out stronger than ever.

"I've never seen anything quite like this – it's…amazing." Kantarou shook his head in disbelief of all the smells, sounds and celebrations happening all around them.

"I love it when we have a magi festival." Youko smiled, kneeling beside Kantarou. "Lord Haruka always allows a group of us to come to at least one festival a year. We're really lucky." The aforementioned demon eater of legend was currently in conversation with Lord Sugino – a conversation that was clearly not meant for his servants' ears. Kantarou and the others had been given a free half hour to do as they pleased (within reason), a huge privilege for servants.

"Hey…um…" Youko started, her ears pricking up in case anyone was near enough to overhear them. "Earlier, you mentioned an item of sorts that could break the…curse on your mind. Do…do you know where we can start looking?"

Kantarou nodded, turning his attention away from the festivities. Now was his best chance to reveal as much information as he could to Youko about his situation. "I can't feel it's aura as strongly here as I did back at the mansion. It got weaker the closer we came into town. I believe that can mean only one thing. The bracelet I'm looking for is inside Lord Haruka's residence."

Youko could barely conceal her excitement. "That's great news then Kan-chan. If we all search together, we may just be able to find it!"

"Thanks Youko-chan. I hope so."

"One thing 'little brother', how are you able to…sense this bracelet?" The fox maid knew about the ability to read auras, although this was often a youkai trait, a gift even, to connect spiritually with objects.

Kantarou shook his head. "In all honesty, that is something I don't know. In fact, it is only recently that I have felt its presence. I fear I have less time than I thought to sort this all out."

Suddenly, a familiar head of blonde hair dangled down from the branches above. Kaworu was hanging upside down like a bat and grinning like an idiot. "There you two are!"

"Kaworu!?" Youko jumped up in surprise. "What on Earth are you doing?"

The sky youkai swung himself onto the branch and back flipped out of the tree in style, almost landing on Kantarou. "I had a better view of the festival up there. Hito asked me to find you – we're sharing snacks, follow me!"

The servant trio headed down the far side of the town square, past traders and game stalls, beneath dancing red lanterns. Youko finished recalling previous festival highlights and dashed off to purchase treats from a nearby stall. Kaworu pointed to a free bench for them to sit and wait for Youko when Kantarou was pulled to a stop as a thin, bony hand gripped his wrist.

"Would you like to know your fortune?" The elderly looking youkai asked. She looked like a frail human woman, her eyes disguised beneath a veil. "No payment required, little one." She rasped, her long, pointed nails scrapping at Kantarou's skin as he tried to pull free.

"Are you really a fortune teller?" Kaworu asked, oblivious to Kantarou's uncomfortable predicament.

"It is only one of my many talents, child. This boy has the most interesting aura. May I ask your name?" Kantarou flinched as the fortune teller drew nearer. "You need not fear me little human. I mean no harm. The cards want me to talk with you."

"Please don't intimidate him like that." Kaworu hooked his arm through Kantarou's free one, a sign that he would stand up for the human.

"I – We…should really be going back to our master now. I am thankful you wish to do my reading for free, but I'm afraid I must decline."

The fortune teller released Kantarou's arm from her vice-like grip. "Very well…Ichinomiya."

Kantarou froze, turning to face the teller who retreated into her hut.

"What's wrong Kan-chan?" Youko asked, returning with three sticks containing a variety of delicacies.

"This creepy teller wanted to read his fortune." Kaworu said, taking a stick from Youko and quickly devouring the sticky square treat at the top.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to ask her something." Kantarou looked intently at the curtain where the mysterious youkai had disappeared behind.

"Of-course not, Kan-chan." Youko smiled, tucking into her snack. "We'll take a quick walk down this row and come back for you."

"Thank you." Kantarou bowed and made his way to the fortune teller's hut. He hovered outside the curtain, unsure if speaking to the youkai was a wise idea.

"Come inside little human." The voice called, a hint of smugness beneath the rasp.

Kantarou stepped inside the makeshift hut; the space inside was tight, with a small table in the middle of two chairs. One was occupied by the teller. "Please sit."

Kantarou bowed and obeyed, his eyes scanning every inch of the hut. There was a powerful energy within this small space.

"You must have many questions for me, human child, but it is the cards who have the answers."

"The cards?"

"Yes. My name is Fumi young one. Let me reveal your fate."

"Fumi-san…"

"Relax child. When you're ready, please place your hands palms down on the table, then we will begin."

Kantarou took a deep breath, ignoring the voice in his head that said this was a bad idea, and braced himself for the teller's words of wisdom.

"The first card – " Fumi placed the card on the table. "The Six of Cups. There is a man…" The red-eyed human didn't even have chance to ask what this meant before Fumi began her explanation. "I sense a familiar man returning to your side. There will be both happiness and sadness in this reunion. He is close…"

Kantarou couldn't help but feel afraid that his memory was too unreliable in his current state to think of past acquaintances.

"The second card is the Tower." Fumi put the second card on the table. "A change of scenery is imminent. Be warned. In this new environment, there won't be others willing to help you. Trust no-one." Fumi's voice was as clear as any alarm bell. Kantarou was in trouble, whether he liked it or not.

Fumi was selecting the third card when the curtain was rustled.

"Kan-chan?" It was Youko; she seemed a little distressed. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but our time's up. We have to meet up with Lord Haruka by the fountain."

Fumi silently placed the next card on the table. "Go, Ichinomiya-kun."

"I'm sorry. Thank you for your warnings, I'll do my best to heed them."

"Some things are inevitable, but it's the end result that matters most. You will find _it_. It's in the cards."

"It?" There was something that Kantarou desperately needed. "The charm bracelet?"

Fumi smiled. "Good luck little boy."

Kantarou joined the two youkai outside who greeted him with twin worried expressions.

"Was she alright with you? Did you learn what you wanted?" Kaworu asked, checking Kantarou over like an overprotective mother.

"It was…interesting." Kantarou sighed, still trying to absorb Fumi's wise words.

"Here Kan-chan. No point worrying on an empty stomach." Youko gave Kantarou the treat stick she'd bought earlier.

"T…thanks Youko-chan." Kantarou eyed the treats with suspicion, but never one to refuse food – particularly a free treat – he nibbled at the sumptuous offerings.

"Youko! Kaworu! Kantarou!" Amefuri waved energetically as the trio approached the fountain.

"Are you enjoying yourselves?" Hito asked, clutching a small paper bag in his arms.

"Of-course!" Kaworu laughed, "we're enjoying our night off in style." The sky demon was more concerned with freedom than most, longing to be a part of the endless blue sky. He was more at home outdoors, which was only natural considering his heritage.

"Where's Lord Haruka?" Youko couldn't see their master, although a frazzled looking Muu-chan was heading in their direction, closely followed by Lord Sugino. The white-winged tengu looked much more upbeat than usual.

"Everybody here?" Sugino counted up the seven slaves.

"Muu!"

"Good. Right, follow me. Haruka is in the middle of a very important game."

"Muu." Lady Muu-chan seemed worried.

"Don't worry my darling, Haruka-chan is a competent Go player."

"Oh wow. May I ask who he is up against Lord Sugino?" Kaworu was a fan of the game although he had never seen his master play before.

"A human." Sugino sneered in disgust. "I heard he was granted 'youkai status' by his mistress, Lady Ibaragi, and has lived in privilege ever since. Apparently, he's a well-known and respected figure in their homeland. All I know is, he doesn't stand a chance against Haruka!"

The group pushed their way through the growing crowd, with Lord Sugino and his nervous wife leading the way to the front.

"Line up here, and don't make a sound." Sugino ordered the servants.

"Muu!"

"But Muu-chan, when Haruka isn't here to watch, surely I'm in charge!"

The small green youkai tugged hard at Sugino's hair. Sometimes, she felt he was too hard on Haruka's workers.

From their position, Kantarou could just about see Haruka facing them and the back of the opposing player. According to Lord Sugino, this man was human, yet his presence playing against a famous youkai Lord wasn't causing a stir. His appearance, from behind, didn't stand out; he had short dark hair and wore a black jacket. It was hard to tell who was winning at this point. Haruka gave nothing away with his stony expression, and the small crowd of onlookers were focused intently on the match. Haruka completed his move and waited. The human male turned slightly and raised his arm - Kantarou froze at the flash of white clothing covering his left hand. A white glove.

"Wait a minute." Kaworu whispered. "I've seen him before…"

Kantarou didn't know why something as trivial as a glove chilled him to the bone, but something wasn't quite right…

"Who is he?" Youko asked, earning a scowl from Sugino for speaking out of turn.

Kaworu ignored the white tengu's demand of silence to answer, "Lord Raikou Minamoto."

Tbc

xoxoxo

The cards Fumi uses are based off the (simple) meanings of Tarot cards.

Thank you for reading. I hope you all enjoy your seasonal festivities.

Take care x


End file.
